Current Pulse

PartMaker 2013 Road Show
Running the first half of 2013, officials from PartMaker Inc., a division of Delcam plc, will host a nine city, nationwide user group tour to educate customers and prospective PartMaker users on the new technology available in the recently released PartMaker Version 2013. Each road show stop is two days in duration, with the first half day of each road show stop being a more general, theatre style presentation discussing the new technology available in PartMaker 2013. The second day and half of each session will be a more technical, hands-on training session for attendees who wish to receive training on the new Advanced Surface Machining module in PartMaker Version 2013.

PartMaker 2013 Road Show dates are:

February 6-7: Philadelphia, PA
February 12-13: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
February 27-28: Los Angeles, CA
March 13-14: Sturbridge, MA
March 26-27: Rochester, NY
April 3-4: Chicago, IL
April 17-18: Columbus, OH
May 8-9: Minneapolis, MN

A complete schedule, detailed explanation, and registration form for each stop is available at www.partmaker.com/roadshow2013/

Stapler Makes Surgery Safer
Ethicon’s new 45mm version of the Echelon Flex Powered Endopath Stapler reduces the risk of potential tissue trauma during laparoscopic surgery near vital structures, such as in the thorax. The Echelon Flex stapler allows one-handed operation and virtually eliminates the force required to operate the instrument, letting surgeons focus more on the procedure and less on the instrument. The stapler also includes a manual override system, so the surgeon can also pause or reverse at any time. Because of the built-in battery drain, it is safe to discard the battery pack in the normal medical waste stream. Designed to give surgeons 12 hours of operation with no compromise, the Echelon Flex maintains its performance level from first to last firing. www.ethicon.com

Listening to the Customer Provides Enhanced Cost of Ownership Support
A new sales program, based on packaging select coordinate measuring machines (CMMs) and vision systems with related equipment and service packages at no extra cost over the price of the base machine, is now available from Mitutoyo America Corp., Aurora, IL. By closely listening to the cost of ownership and simplified buying desires of metrology equipment buyers during the last 50 years, Mitutoyo’s new Gold Care program packages peripheral equipment and multi-year service packages (representing an overall $15,000+ savings) with a larger select group of these types of machines. The program is available to U.S.-based companies served by Mitutoyo America for a limited time throughout this year.

The range of measuring machines in this program include:

• CNC CMMs: CRYSTA-Plus series (400/500/700 models)
• Manual CMMs: CRYSTA-Apex S CNC series (500/700/900/1200 models)
• Vision Machines: QV-Apex Pro, QV-Apex TP Systems

Every machine group offers a Gold Care package that includes:

• A second year extended warranty covering all labor and part costs
• A two-year bronze calibration agreement
• A five-year technical phone support program covering the entire machine’s software needs
• Mitutoyo’s MeasurLink Pro Edition software package
• Workholding solutions:
  • For CMMs: Mitutoyo’s Eco-Fix Fixturing System
  • For vision machines: Mitutoyo’s Opti-Fix Fixturing System
• Measurement devices:
  • For CMMs: Mitutoyo starter stylus kit
  • For vision systems with touch probes: Mitutoyo starter stylus kit www.mitutoyo.com

Patient-Specific Knee Replacement System
Based on a year’s worth of surgeon feedback, the next generation iTotal G2 Knee Replacement System from ConforMIS is a patient-specific total knee replacement that improves the implants, instrumentation, and patient specific planning guides. Although 20% of people with knee replacement systems complain of unnatural fits and residual pain, the iTotal is molded to fit an individual based on CT scans, so the implants shape and geometry closely matches natural joint anatomy and curvatures, providing more natural knee motion. www.conformis.com

Driving Machining Simulation Processes
To verify and optimize its machining operations, medical products supplier Paragon Medical Inc. chose NCSIMUL, the CNC machine simulation solution from Spring Technologies.

NCSIMUL, a component of SPRING Technologies’ NC software offering of CAM software and service, is a comprehensive machine simulation software for simulating, verifying, optimizing, and reviewing machining programs meant for CNC machines.

Paragon Medical is a Tier 1 turnkey manufacturer of cases and trays, surgical instrumentation, and implantable components. Paragon established its Global Design Center to enable the company to close the loop between development and manufacturing via project management, design, research, analytical testing, and prototyping. www.springplm.com