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Medical Standards

When designing a medical foot control there are many things that must be into account. Certain criteria must be followed in order to produce an interface that meets the standards set forth by…

Performing Inline Diameter Measurement in a Wire Drawing Process Using Optical Micrometers

A typical wire drawing process makes extensive use of lubrication to achieve good surface finish and extend die life. Those lubricants include oil, dry soap or sometimes ultrasonic vibration of the die. This…

Digital vs. Linear Foot Controls

When referencing the word ‘digital’ as a characteristic of a foot control it simply means an on/off actuation. The digital on/off actuation of a foot pedal can be either a momentary actuation (step…

Active Coils in a spring

The active coils are what make a spring a spring. We normally refer to the coils that open in an extension spring, the coils that deflect or close in a compression spring and…

Right hand vs. left hand spring wind and direction

The direction of wind of a spring can be determined by simply holding it in your hand with your fingers placed around the outside of the body and your thumb pointing straight up.…

Considerations for Medical Grade Foot Controls

Many factors should be considered when choosing a medical foot control for your device. Design Engineers must know that the operation of a foot switch is often very critical to a procedure, so…

Cable Basics: Understanding Dynamic Load-Bearing Capacity

Choosing the best cable for an industrial application isone of the most critical design decisions of any complexautomated system. That said, cable selection is often anafterthought and not given the time or respect…

Harting History

The rectangular connector made its debut almost 65 years ago, reflecting a growing trend in machine design at the time and starting one of its own. Machines were becoming increasingly complex. No longer…

Connectors vs. Hardwiring

Many thousands of equipment manufacturers have switched from point-to-point (hard) wiring to connector-based cable assemblies in factory and process automation and control systems. Adopting progressive connectivity solutions has improved their unit costs and…

Small Scale Code Marking Option

Tiny Ink Code-Mark Machine As a result of customer interest, Sprinter Marking has recently made an effort to develop a code marking machine capable of very small “confirmation” marks with a model 44…

Physical Attributes of a Foot Control

When designing a new foot switch there are many things that you must factor in, but surprising the simplest things could end up being the most important to the end user. The ergonomics,…

hybrid Cables Handle Servo Power and Feedback

Of all the components that make up an effective servosystem, the power and signal cables don’t get muchattention. Yet the cabling plays a big role in the system’sperformance and lifecycle cost. That role…

Electronic vs Mechanical Foot Controls

An electronic foot control is a pedal consisting of electronics versus mechanical components such as gears, potentiometers, and snap switches. In the world of foot controls the use of electronics is the wave…

Spring Rate – What is it & how do I determine spring rate?

SPRING RATE – WHAT IS IT & HOW DO I DETERMINE SPRING RATE? 1. Deflect* the spring approximated 20% of the available deflection and measure the load (P1) and the height (L1). 2.…

Foot Switch Functions

When determining that a foot control is required for a particular application, one of the first questions that must be answered is “how many functions does the foot control have to perform?” The…

Guards and Shrouds

Some medical applications, such as the medical laser industry, require that the foot pedal have a guard-shroud that covers the pedal to help prevent inadvertent actuation. Most applications don’t have such requirements, but…

Reliable VFD Cables Boost Productivity, Minimize Downtime

From fans and blowers to 24/7 production line equipment,variable frequency drives (VFDs) are a mainstay of theindustrial world due to their remarkable ability to improve theefficiency of motor-driven equipment. As part of a…

Measurement of Transparent Objects Using Laser Displacement Sensors

Transparent measurement targets, such as glass and films, have to be measured with non-contact sensors inline, since they are easily scratched by contact. This paper briefly describes a versatile method to measure transparent…

Find The Right Medical Adhesive

Picking the right adhesive almost always entails a balancingact as engineers attempt to find products that meetconflicting end-use and manufacturability requirements.Medical device engineers, who also have to contend with astrict regulatory environment, often…