Tegra Medical’s Sean Mikus, General Manager in Costa Rica, was interviewed for the article “Modern Machining for Medtech” in the September issue of MPO Magazine. The article reinforces the fact that CNC machining is a well-established fabrication method and discusses ongoing advancements that keep it as an attractive option for device makers.
In his interview, Sean raised the point that flexible work holding that reduces wasted motion helps optimize tool life, reduce downtime, and make machining more efficient and cost-effective. And he noted that as new robots actually become fixtures, holding parts and moving them as needed, it will be a paradigm shift.
A major point Sean noted is the growing focus on environmental impacts of manufacturing devices. He expects that in the future, there will be more and more requests for detailed information on manufacturing practices, materials, and the CO2 impact of manufacturing. He surmises that other industries that are already required to provide this information can offer learning lessons for medical device manufacturing.
It’s clear in the article that Sean is well versed in the value of data and its close relationship with the Internet of Things (IofT). It will improve connections between supply chain partners and customers, as well as machine vendors, allowing them to see data in real time. Sean observes that modern CNC control software makes it easier to implement SPC, a shift that makes it more convenient to create certificates of compliance and/or performance.
Shop floor data can be analyzed and enable on-the-fly machine adjustments, facilitating the tracking of capital investments. The way Sean sees it, collecting, managing, sharing, and analyzing data will become increasingly more important in the manufacturing process. Data from CNC machines, for example, extends far beyond the shop floor and into all areas of a company where it helps inform business decisions.