Panel Discussion - Current Challenges in Manufacturing

Hub alumni and current researchers gathered to participate in discussions centred around research priorities for the medical device industry. This workshop was held on the 13th of December, with a panel representing a variety of industry and research backgrounds:

Dr Nagasivamuni Balasubramani – Ohio State University
Dr Danilo Carluccio – Herston Biofabrication Institute
Dr Zhuoyu Huang – Cook Medical Australia
Dr Nicolas Soro – Cook Medical Australia
Dr Sean Johnston – Resmed

The workshop was a great opportunity for Hub graduates to continue their mentorship to junior researchers, sharing their experience from both during their doctoral studies and time in industry.
We are excited to see where these bright minds will lead to in the future!

Improving manufacturing quality assurance through machine learning

Quality inspection and control is an essential process in the manufacturing industry, with particularly stringent and comprehensive control expected of medical devices. Currently, a significant amount of manufacturers rely on manual quality control, with highly trained workers visually inspecting each device. This labour intensive yet necessary activity is not only time-consuming but also can be unreliable and inconsistent, with person-to-person variation.

In light of these challenges, Hub researchers are investigating the application of adaptive automation technologies to the quality inspection process, finding hardware and software solutions specific to each application. To deliver a technology demonstrator, the team based at RMIT have designed an Artificial Intelligence (AI) vision system to automate the quality inspection and assurance of needles. In current production, the needles are manually inspected under the microscope for defects, damage and foreign matter. To improve this process, an image acquisition system was built and tailored to produce high-definition images, and the uncertainty in the quality standard of the product was investigated and quantified by integrating virtual image generation, 3D modelling and data analysis techniques. The combined system captures raw images, selects regions of interest where defects occur, identifies and classifies the specific quality aspects of a product based on visual characteristics displayed on the surface, and automatically stores images as proof of quality. The system was able to correctly identify defective products and demonstrate classification accuracy of over 95%, even with samples containing multiple defects.

In our application, a machine-assisted quality inspection system based on visual information improved the efficiency and consistency. The effect of implementing such systems would extend to enabling workers to focus on more rewarding tasks rather than the repetitive ones, reducing training requirements for operators of the automated vision system, and improving the lead time, accuracy, reliability and traceability, which are important priorities for the medical device manufacturing industry.

AMMD Hub represents at UQ 3MT Competition

Two AMMD Hub postgraduate researchers participated in the 2022 UQ Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competitions. Developed by The University of Queensland, 3MT celebrates Doctor of Philosophy students by providing a platform to share their research. With a time limit of only three minutes, the competition demands rigorous academic, presentation and research communication skills.

Zahrina Mardina’s project is to create a novel weft-knitted surgical mesh based on biodegradable metal wires for helping women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse. Her research investigates the performance of zinc and iron-based mesh and their corrosion behavior in the biological environment.

Nan Yang is a materials engineer, with broad experience across material characterisation, mechanical behaviour and corrosion. Her research is focussed on biodegradable metals for implantation, spanning across absorbable wound closure devices to orthopaedic applications.

Nan and Zahrina both gave fantastic talks, winning Runner Up and First Place in the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering. Zahrina went on to the Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology heat to take the People’s Choice, competing yet again at the university-wide 3MT Wildcard Competition against People’s Choice winners from other Faculties and Institutes.

Heat treatment expertise in hot demand

Hub CI Dr Michael Bermingham was invited to train local industry in metallurgical science and engineering to upskill production staff in the metals heat treatment industry. As an academic consultant, Dr Bermingham delivered a series of tailored workshops for 14 staff members across the theory of metals science, manufacturing and heat treatment, as well as practical training on metallography. The workshops were delivered directly at the manufacturing site using the industry equipment, allowing for students to gain hands on metallographic preparation experience. The dissemination of specialist knowledge for the benefit of Australian SMEs is a priority for AMMD Hub.

Automation and digitisation in manufacturing: case studies in retrofitting existing processes

AMMD Hub’s third Innovation & Technology Transfer Workshop was hosted by iOrthotics on the 18th of November.

Case studies in retrofitting existing process were presented across several distinct manufacturing processes at iOrthotics and Cook Medical Australia.

The discussion revolved around implementing automation and digitisation effectively, particularly with the prevalence of legacy machines in existing manufacturing processes.

AMMD Hub is committed to finding new ways to engage the Australian industry, particularly in the medical device manufacturing sector, to elevate existing processes with advanced technologies.

CRC Project Success

Hub researchers at iOrthotics and the University of Queensland were successful in their CRC project bid, together with partners My FootDr, Queensland University of Technology, and North West Hospital and Health Service. This proposed project was built on the momentum from the successful collaborative research with the AMMD Hub, strengthening the commitment to translational research in the partnership.

‘Designed-led advanced manufacturing of smart orthotics for remote Australia’ will receive $2,044,034 in funding to advance the manufacturing of smart orthotics to reduce diabetes related amputations.

This industry-led collaborative research and development project will create a new generation of smart orthotic devices to increase patient compliance and expedite lead times to patient, reducing overall healthcare costs. An enhanced workflow to supply custom smart orthotics to patients in remote Australia will be tested to address diabetic foot disease complications prevalent in remote Australian communities.

The partners apply advancements in human-centred design, generative design, advanced manufacturing, and wearable technologies to provide quantitative clinical data to monitor treatment effectiveness and improve patient compliance and outcomes.

Digital Transformation - Healthia

AMMD Hub has been working with Partner Organisation Healthia to implement Digital Transformation as well as develop next generational materials at their customised orthotics manufacturing facility - iOrthotics.

2020 Activities

This year has presented unprecedented challenges globally as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. AMMD Hub has adapted to tackle the COVID-19 crisis in the medical device industry, particularly in partnering with clinicians, engineers and manufacturers to solve critical problems.

Professor John Fraser testing the shield

Face Shields

In response to the urgent demand, AMMD Hub researchers have applied their expertise to design and manufacture face shields to protect healthcare workers from aerosolised viral particles. The face shields were designed for rapid manufacture using 3D printing technology at Hub Partner organisation, iOrthotics. The design incorporates feedback from healthcare workers who have trialled the prototypes at the Prince Charles Hospital, Royal Brisbane and Womens Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital and Sunshine Coast Hospital. AMMD Hub is continuing to explore ways to adapt advanced manufacturing techniques to assist in the effort to prepare Australia during the continuing pandemic.

3D printing face shield components

UQ Ventilator Design Hackathon

In April, several AMMD Hub researchers from the School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering participated in the UQ Ventilator Design Hackathon as mentors and judges. Students were tasked with designing an ‘open source’, low-cost, simple ventilator that can serve COVID-19 patients in an emergency timeframe. Over 200 students participated in the Hackathon, which used the ventilator specifications set out by Australia’s Chief Scientist Alan Finkel. The four day intensive competition involved virtual meetings, prototype models and a clinical advisor, Brisbane anaesthetist Dr Erich Schulz.  

UQ Medical Device Student Group

Building on the interest from the Hackathon, AMMD Hub researchers formed an undergraduate student group for those interested in the medical device industry. The group focused on tackling additional challenges rising from the pandemic, as well as ongoing needs in the medical device industry.

Medical Device Workshop

AMMD Hub presented Medical Devices: from design concept to manufacturing, a workshop focussed on case studies and discussions on medical device design and manufacture with clinicians and manufacturers. Topics included collaborations enabling the transfer of technology into medical device design and manufacture, the role of engineers in the medical device industry, and insights from the medical device manufacturing sector. AMMD Hub thanks the speakers Professor John Fraser, Dr Erich Schulz and Dr Samih Nabulsi for their time.

AMMD Holds First Innovation & Technology Transfer Workshop

AMMD Hub’s first Innovation & Technology Transfer Workshop, in partnership with Medulla and Realise Potential, was hosted by Cook Medical Australia on the 30th of October.

With the theme “Getting Started with Industry 4.0 in Regulated Markets”, the workshop explored Industry 4.0, current best practices, trends, and applications to the manufacturing industry.

Facilitators included Neil Baker, CEO of Medulla, John Broadbent, Director of Realise Potential, and Professor Matthew Dargusch, Director of AMMD Hub.

A highlight of the workshop was the insightful panel discussion on the current status of Industry 4.0 in Australian manufacturing, and the unique challenges both encountered and foreseen.

AMMD Hub is excited for further opportunities to translate research.

AMMD Welcomes Two New Engineers

AMMD has welcomed two engineers to the team, working on multiple collaborative research projects based at Cook Medical Australia.

Ms Elisa Comini is an Industrial Engineer at the University of Queensland, with experience in materials engineering, as well as process and validation in the medical device industry. She is working with the team to optimise the existing workflows in the manufacturing of customised medical devices. 

Dr Saba Shams Bidhendi has a PhD in Industrial Engineering, working on lean manufacturing during her Masters and PhD dissertation. Her research has focussed on the development of lean strategies selection method and leanness assessment model to avoid misapplication of lean strategies and measure improvement after lean implementation.

Both engineers are working closely with the continuous improvement and research teams at Cook Medical Australia to develop and integrate new manufacturing systems.