Embedded Technology for Medical Applications – Meeting the Standards

At Solid State, we offer both off-the-shelf and customised technology solutions for medical applications.

Medical technology plays a vital role in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients, and increasingly in the prevention of disease and other conditions through early detection and self care.

There are very specific requirements and demands on the electronic components and displays employed in medical systems. The EN 60601 group of standards covers the safety, essential performance and electromagnetic compatibility of all medical electrical and electronic equipment, which must be suitable for the appropriate clinical and medical environments. It’s important that providers of components and displays are familiar with these demands and understand how OEMs are impacted.

The team at Solid State has years of experience of supplying top tier medical OEMs and is well aware of the hoops they must jump through. We have also helped to overcome the significant problems that can arise from the obsolescence of a component or display, drawing on both our off-the-shelf portfolio and our Custom Solutions Centre to provide alternatives. We adopt a consultative approach – we’ll listen to what you are trying to achieve and help to find the best possible solution. As a technical, franchised distributor of components and displays, we are committed to adding genuine value to the supply chain, going far beyond traditional distribution to offer good technical support and also providing a host of Value-Added Services.

Displays, embedded processing solutions, lighting, imaging and communication technology are all widely used in medical applications. Our applications specialists for each area can guide you through the pros and cons of available solutions and help you make the best choice for your requirements.

To cite just one example - Panel PCs and display monitors used for high end medical diagnostic imaging will need to be compliant with DIN 6868-157 standards for maximum ambient light levels, and a DICOM calibrated display for diagnosis is also strongly recommended. We therefore offer a range of medical panel PCs designed to meet these requirements, and suitable for use in any medical environment, including operating room, intensive care unit, examination room and preoperative preparation room.

Compliant with DICOM and DIN 6868-157 standards, our medical Panel PCs can be used for examining medical images including X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, angiography and CT scan, providing accurate DICOM grayscale standard display and images of highest clarity, and capable of operating all-day operation with battery swapping.

The antibacterial outer shell of these PCs effectively reduces risk of infection. Their full flat front panel is IP65 water- and dust-resistant, which provides greater ease of cleaning and maintenance, and can be cleansed and disinfected with alcohol. Healthcare personnel are able to operate the touch screen wearing gloves, preventing the spread of infection by contact.

Our medical-grade MX/MD-series LED-backlit monitors are also designed for durability and ease of cleaning in medical and clinical environments. Featuring full HD resolution and EN/IEC 60601-1 standard and DICOM Part 14 specification compliance, they offer wide viewing angles.

Solid State Supplies can also help with the illumination and sensing requirements of medical equipment. Our compact, pulsed xenon flash lamps are particularly of interest to product designers and engineers developing small form factor analytical systems for point of care and field use applications such as medical analytics.

Our LED specialists can advise on the specific wavelengths which may be required for phototherapy, and we offer both low and high power UV and IR LEDs. Many of our optical sensors are used in medical instrumentation, and we have helped OEMs facing obsolescence by producing alternative equivalent devices via our UK-based Custom Solutions Centre.

Obsolescence can cause major problems for medical technology providers. In highly complex and expensive equipment, the entire system has to be taken into consideration when replacing a part, to ensure stringent requirements and regulations continue to be met.

Our medical customers have faced significant challenges when, for example, production of vital optoelectronic sensors or medical display panels has been discontinued. In this situation, replacement products must be sourced that are ‘like for like’ both mechanically and electronically, to avoid lengthy and costly re-verification and re-validation processes. Finding replacement parts through a new partner may be preferable to investing in a large last-time-buy of stock that could degrade and become unusable.

Helping to overcome obsolescence challenges is a particular focus for Solid State Supplies. Our specialist SOS business unit offers a comprehensive sourcing service for obsolete and hard-to-find electronic components. Utilising the latest anti-counterfeit detection methods, and with over 20 years of industry knowledge, SOS is an assured source for obsolescence requirements.

In addition, our Custom Solutions Centre has the resources and capabilities to design and build completely new components and displays to replace obsolete parts. 

Solid State Supplies 

+44 (0) 1527 830800

sales@sssltd.com

Address: Ravensbank Business Park,

Hedera Road, Redditch, B98 9EY

www.sssltd.com