Medical Design Briefs - July 2023 - 4

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INSIDE STORY
Medical Manufacturing Technologies, Inc. (MMT), a leading global provider of medical device
manufacturing solutions, acquired Ireland-based Somex Automation and Ward Automation Galway.
Recognized for developing best-in-class custom automation and integration solutions encompassing
the entire product lifecycle, from design and development through production, testing, and packaging,
these brands have become the flagship offerings of MMT Automation. To find out more about selecting
and implementing automation solutions, MDB recently spoke with Dave McMorrow, Technical Director,
MMT Automation, and Michael Wall, Technical Director, Somex Automation, an MMT company.
MDB: What do you see as the most important consideration
when selecting a custom equipment vendor for minimally
invasive medical devices?
McMorrow: It is very important to engage
with machine developers who
have in-depth product knowledge.
Many machine builders work across
multiple industries, and lack the experience
required to develop robust
equipment for the minimally invasive
medical device industry. Working with
these products requires in-depth knowledge
and experience. MMT Automation
(formerly Ward Automation Galway) and Somex Automation
have decades-strong experience in developing equipment for
this type of product, for some of the world's leading medical device
manufacturers. Aside from product knowledge - expertise
in design, build, programming, and commissioning of automated
equipment to the highest quality standards is also essential.
MDB: How can you ensure that an automated process will
perform as intended?
McMorrow: It is crucial that the process to be automated is
well controlled, robust, and repeatable. Automated equipment
executes the production process automatically. If the production
process being executed by the machine is not robust, then the
automated solution will not perform robustly either. At MMT
Automation, we regularly conduct proof-of-concept works before
commencing the full machine design project, to reduce risk
relating to the process.
MDB: What steps are key in developing automated equipment
for the medical device industry?
McMorrow: The machine designer and the customer must
have a clear alignment at the start of the project as to what
outcome the automated solution will deliver. We recognize that
not all customers are experienced in writing specifications and
URS documents, and for this reason we thoroughly review the
customer's URS upon receipt and provide feedback and detailed
discussion around any areas of ambiguity before developing
a proposal. It is also very important to have an experienced
project lead who acts as the primary point of contact in the
automation provider. Involving the customer in regular design
review meetings before progressing to machine build is crucial,
as is professional project management to ensure the equipment
is delivered on schedule.
MDB: What aspect of automation is often overlooked by a
customer when choosing a partner to provide a solution?
Wall: Short and long-term engineering
support and technical training is
critical to ensuring continuous quality
and precision, specifically with the continued
threat of employee turnover,
which leads to the loss of indispensable
technical knowledge. As an MMT company,
our TotalCare service ensures that
customers have expert support and ongoing
training to ensure that operators
understand why requisite parameters are set, variables are controlled,
and specific preventative maintenance needs to be done.
MDB: Any advice regarding equipment selection when developing
a new product?
Wall: Experience within the industry is key, as is deep knowledge
of the devices to be manufactured. Just because an equipment
provider has " medical " as an industry they serve, it does not
make them an expert in catheter, guidewire, or other minimally
invasive surgical devices. It is also important to choose development
equipment from a provider who has the capability to
scale the equipment and process for more efficient production
at a later stage.
To find out more about MMT, visit https://mmt-automation.
com. To find out more about Somex Automation, visit www.
somexautomation.ie.
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