A Feel for Quality

摘要

While most industries rely on precision components, there are few where the need is as critical as in medical device manufacturing. Whether it's a tool that ends up in the hands of a surgeon or a device used every day by a patient, the consequences of a poorly manufactured component could mean the difference between life and death. The question then becomes, how can every piece be produced to ensure correct functionality without employing costly options like end-of-line gaging stations or 100% inspection? One proven answer is to use a manufacturing system with built-in sensors that allow the system to "feel" the assembly as it is being put together, intelligent servo controls that allow the system to know what it's looking at and adjust on the fly, and software with in-process monitoring capabilities that can gage the piece during the assembly operation.