Grant: Strategic Projects - Group
Queen's University
$154,540.00
Automated medical device manufacturing through coherent imaging
FY 2012-13
Summary
Miniature medical devices, such as catheter components and neurostents, require highly precise and repeatable manufacturing. The noncontact and highly localised modification possible through laser processing has opened up new design paradigms but requires considerable process development time and suffers from stochasticities inherent to the underlying process. By adapting state-of-the art medical imaging technology, we have developed a high-speed (up to 312 kHz) coherent imaging system that is easily integrated into a laser processing workstation and can monitor sample changes along the processing beam axis as they happen. This includes the tracking of surface and subsurface changes simultaneously with micron precision. In situ monitoring has allowed us to close the feedback loop to achieve *fully automatic* laser processing with final precision improved by over an order of magnitude compared to open loop processing. This strategic project will allow us to partner with a Canadian medical device manufacturing company and researchers at the University of Stuttgart to exploit this award-winning technology (2010 ICALEO, Anaheim) for practical device processing requirements, and as a novel window into deep laser processing (particularly at high fluences). Funding will enable high-speed feedback control of industrial 3D designs, refinement of a portable system and its testing in the partner's process development laboratory, and exploration of basic questions related to industrially relevant ultrafast processing. Outcomes of the project include: i) HQP training in advanced manufacturing (almost two-thirds of the budget is student and PDF salaries), ii) reduction of process development time through in situ real-time monitoring, iii) improved understanding of laser processing, and iv) creation of new medical device designs enabled by high-speed feedback control. Objectives are aligned with NSERC's strategic target of advancing automation, process improvement and inspection/measurement. This project will have positive implications for a variety of other fields that exploit laser processing such as automotive, agricultural and construction equipment, marine and energy-related industries.
Program
Strategic Projects - Group
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
413028-2011
Name nom
Fraser, James
Department département
Physics, Engineering Physics & Astronomy
Organization id
29
Institution établissement
Queen's University
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2012
Competition year année de concours
2011
Award amount
154540
Program id
STPGP
Program name en
Strategic Projects - Group
Program name fr
Projets stratégiques - De groupe
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
1570
Committee name en
Strategic Projects Selection Panel - Manufacturing - B
Committee name fr
Comité de sélection des projets stratégiques - Fabrication - B
Area of application code
518
Area of application group en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application group fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Area of application en
Medical equipment and apparatus
Area of application fr
Appareils et instruments médicaux
Research subject code
2002
Research subject group en
Materials science and technology
Research subject group fr
Science et technologie des matériaux
Research subject en
Materials processing
Research subject fr
Transformation des matériaux
Partie
2
Nb partie
3
Application title
Automated medical device manufacturing through coherent imaging
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Miniature medical devices, such as catheter components and neurostents, require highly precise and repeatable manufacturing. The noncontact and highly localised modification possible through laser processing has opened up new design paradigms but requires considerable process development time and suffers from stochasticities inherent to the underlying process. By adapting state-of-the art medical imaging technology, we have developed a high-speed (up to 312 kHz) coherent imaging system that is easily integrated into a laser processing workstation and can monitor sample changes along the processing beam axis as they happen. This includes the tracking of surface and subsurface changes simultaneously with micron precision. In situ monitoring has allowed us to close the feedback loop to achieve *fully automatic* laser processing with final precision improved by over an order of magnitude compared to open loop processing. This strategic project will allow us to partner with a Canadian medical device manufacturing company and researchers at the University of Stuttgart to exploit this award-winning technology (2010 ICALEO, Anaheim) for practical device processing requirements, and as a novel window into deep laser processing (particularly at high fluences). Funding will enable high-speed feedback control of industrial 3D designs, refinement of a portable system and its testing in the partner's process development laboratory, and exploration of basic questions related to industrially relevant ultrafast processing. Outcomes of the project include: i) HQP training in advanced manufacturing (almost two-thirds of the budget is student and PDF salaries), ii) reduction of process development time through in situ real-time monitoring, iii) improved understanding of laser processing, and iv) creation of new medical device designs enabled by high-speed feedback control. Objectives are aligned with NSERC's strategic target of advancing automation, process improvement and inspection/measurement. This project will have positive implications for a variety of other fields that exploit laser processing such as automotive, agricultural and construction equipment, marine and energy-related industries.
