Flex: Just What the Doctor Ordered for Medical Devices
February 22, 2016 | Dave Becker, All FlexEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Medical devices represent one of the fastest growing electronic markets in the United States. The drive for reduced space and weight, added functionality, and reduced cost has driven the adoption of a wide array of custom flexible circuits. The design freedom offered by this three-dimensional interconnect supports the packaging design requirements for a myriad of diverse applications within the medical electronic market. The adoption of flexible circuitry in medical devices goes back to the early 1970s, when companies like Cardiac Pacemakers and Medtronic used flex circuitry for implantable pacemakers and implantable defibrillators. As electronics and packaging advanced, medical products enjoyed a tremendous growth both in the U.S. and overseas. This growth will most certainly continue as new and innovative products, with increasingly demanding electronic requirements, challenge product designers to add functionality within smaller and smarter devices. Today flexible circuits are found in many medical applications:
- Implantable medical devices: These include pacemakers, defibrillators, neurological implants and cochlear implants (hearing). These devices are surgically implanted in the human body. Product requirements are extreme reliability, long life cycle, light weight, biocompatibility and compact size.
- Non-implantable medical devices: Hearing aids, drug dispensing systems, and external defibrillators (attached to patient) are examples of this medical application. These devices are generally worn or attached to the skin of the patient.
- Monitoring devices: These products include portable and wearable electronics that monitor heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and blood sugar rate. Also included in this category are bedside monitoring devices.
- Diagnostic equipment: This category includes equipment for ultrasound scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography scanning (CAT scan), X-rays and a variety of other types of equipment to aid in detecting and diagnosing health problems.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the January 2016 issue of The PCB Magazine.
Suggested Items
LQDX Divests Aluminum Soldering Business - Mina™ - to Taiyo America Inc.
05/02/2024 | PRNewswireLQDX, formerly known as Averatek Corp., developer of high-performance materials for advanced semiconductor manufacturing, today announced that it has divested its aluminum soldering business – known as MinaTM – to Taiyo America Inc., a global market leader in advanced electronic materials.
Arlon Electronic Materials Awarded Requalification to IPC-4101 QPL for All Polyimide Specification Sheets
04/29/2024 | IPCIPC's Validation Services Program has awarded Arlon Electronic Materials Division, an electronics material manufacturing company headquartered in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., an IPC-4101 Qualified Products Listing (QPL) requalification for the third time.
Guerrilla RF Completes Strategic Acquisition of GaN Device Portfolio from Gallium Semiconductor
04/29/2024 | BUSINESS WIREGuerrilla RF, Inc. has finalized the acquisition of Gallium Semiconductor's entire portfolio of GaN power amplifiers and front-end modules. Effective April 26th, 2024, GUER acquired all previously released components as well as new cores under development at Gallium Semiconductor.
Saab Launches New Initiative to Shape the Future of Defense and Security
04/24/2024 | SaabSaab announces the launch of Skapa by Saab, a new initiative to accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies and solutions.
Alternative Manufacturing Inc. Awarded QML Requalification to IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610
04/24/2024 | IPCIPC's Validation Services Program has awarded an IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-A-610 Qualified Manufacturers Listing (QML) requalification to Alternative Manufacturing Inc (AMI).