Project Description
The customer for this project was a university hospital surgeon/inventor that had a concept for a new minimally invasive surgical procedure. PADT Medical worked closely with the physician and the technology transfer office to develop an endoscopic tissue manipulator device to enable the novel procedure to be evaluate in pre-clinical testing. The key technical challenge for this device was to create an articulating grasper located at the distal end of a flexible endoscope that could generate and maintain sufficient load to hold tissue.
Project Approach
PADT Medical worked closely with the customer through the Planning Step to understand and document the design requirements and constraints for the device to ensure that the prototype would achieve the objectives of the proof-of-concept testing.
In the Concept Design step a functional prototype was designed, manufactured and tested. We leveraged in-house advanced simulation and rapid prototype testing capabilities to effectively perform the prototype design. Finite element modeling with Ansys was used to evaluate stresses in the load bearing components.
Virtual models were created in Solid Edge to evaluate range of motion and articulation characteristics. We then created a rapid prototype of the design to evaluate the assembly process and identify unforeseen design problems. This was accomplished by fabricating components from our in-house stereolithography (SLA) and selective laser sintering (SLS) equipment.
The prototype hardware was fabricated using local precision machining vendor and the final assembly and functional testing was performed at PADT Medical prior delivering the device to the customer. The customer tested the device in an animal model to was able to successfully evaluate the novel surgical approach. Valuable feedback from the testing was used to rethink the surgical technique and the devices required to make the procedure effective.
Project Results
The project achieved its objectives to enable the evaluation of novel minimally invasive surgical technique. PADT worked seamlessly with the customer to develop design specifications and utilized advanced computer aided engineering and rapid prototype testing the functional prototype to accelerate the road to a functional prototype.
The physician gained valuable feedback from the proof-of-concept prototype testing and input required to make more informed future development plans. |
