Medical Case Study

UPC Cambridge

Challenge

When developing high precision medical devices with complex interactions between the moving parts, it can be useful to “see inside” a design at an early stage to understand what is going on. Medical technology experts UPC Cambridge were faced with just this requirement on a recent medical device project, so once again they turned to FRP for help.

Solution

FRP’s in-depth process knowledge & experience provided crystal clear mouldings with very similar shrinkage characteristics to the production intent polymers. This enabled UPC to “see inside” their design and optimise the mechanical performance, particularly when coupled with their own in-house range of analytical tools including high speed video photography of the device in action.

Result

UPC received clear parts allowing them to gain valuable design insights to clarify understanding of every aspect of the moving part and to ensure parts worked together.

“During the design and development phase we need to understand every aspect of how the moving parts work together.  Using FRP’s experience we were able to have clear parts that were close enough in size and form to the design intent materials for us to gain really valuable design insights.  Now that FRP also have CT scanning available we can also inspect the final device to close the loop – this is really valuable and significantly de-risks the scale up phase of the product for our Customers.”

UPC Founder and Principal Engineer Bill Treneman