SUCO Press release: MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Pressure Switches and Transmitters in Medical Technology
SUCO products are used in numerous systems and applications in medical technology where thepressure of a medium has to be reliably monitored or controlled.
In addition to our customers in the field of mobile hydraulics and machine and plant engineering, we have also
been serving customers in medical technology for several years with our pressure switches and transmitters fordemanding and safety-relevant applications.
In medical technology, 100% reliability and functional safety of the devices and components are crucial. Inaddition to legal requirements for product purity (free of oil, grease and silicone), the focus in terms of failsafety lies on the use of redundant systems. Our mechanical and electronic pressure and vacuum switches andtransmitters have earned an excellent reputation due to their high overpressure safety (up to 4 times),
relability and long service life. As a manufacturer "Made in Germany", we guarantee that every single productundergoes a 3-stage quality test before it is put into circulation.
In the following blog post we would like to highlight the advantageous characteristics of our components.

Materials and approvals
Due to their high temperature and corrosion resistance, pressure switches made of stainless steel are very
often used in medical technology.
For monitoring drinking water or media containing water, brass (free of nickel and pollutants) has establisheditself as a standard in many medical technology products.
For oxygen and water applications SUCO recommends the use of the following EPDM diaphragms only:

EPDM for general applications (including oxygen). The burnout resistance has been successfully testedby the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)
EPDM-TW was designed for drinking water applications in accordance with national elastomer
guidelines, WRAS, ACS and NSF 61 and for use in medical and pharmaceutical applications

In addition to EPDM, the following diaphragms are mainly used in medical technology:

FKM was successfully tested for biocompatibility (luminescent bacteria test with Vibrio fischeri) in thecourse of the evaluation for respirators and ventilators
FFKM fulfills the highest elastomer class and is mainly used in vacuum technology and bioanalysis dueto its extremely high temperature and media resistance
Silicone is approved by the US FDA (Food & Drug Administration) for food and pharmaceuticalapplications

Medical applications
Anaesthesia and respiratory equipment
Respiratory equipment is a generic term for a variety of different designs, including mobile devices for rescue
services, home ventilation equipment or stationary machines in operating theatres. In intensive care units,
ventilators are used to ventilate patients over long periods of time. The ventilators used to treat COVID-19
belong to the class of anesthesia and critical care ventilators.
During an operation, an anesthesia machine takes over the respiratory function (ventilation) of the patient,since the respiratory drive of the patient is often suspended during general anesthesia. An additional painkiller(anaesthetic) is added to the gas mixture - consisting of compressed air, oxygen (O2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) depending on the operation. Our pressure switches monitor the oxygen supply between the gas socket /connection and the ventilator. When handling oxygen, we only recommend the use of plasma-cleaned pressureswitches and transmitters with EPDM membrane.

Language: English

938 words

Date: 06/30/2020

SUCO Press release: MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
Disinfection and cleaning systems
Disinfection and cleaning systems are used in hospitals and medical practices for the sterile cleaning ofinstruments, tools, cutlery, endoscopes as well as clothes and shoes. The systems are manufactured in various
designs, ranging from small tabletop machines for dental practices to large equipment in hospitals.
The machines work similar to a dishwasher with very high temperatures and have the option of using special
cleaning liquids and disinfectants to safely remove both mechanical and biological soiling on the instruments.
Autoclaves and sterilizers
Autoclaves and sterilizers achieve the killing of all reproductive pathogens by heat with steam under highpressure. In order to withstand the high pressures, the chambers are normally built in a barrel shape.
Autoclaves usually sterilize at 134°C with a holding time of ~5.5 minutes. The units are first evacuated and thenfilled with superheated steam. These units sterilize instruments and tools contaminated with germs and virusesin combination with upstream cleaning systems.
Both in cleaning systems and autoclaves, our pressure switches perform the following functions:

Monitoring of door lock: During the cleaning or sterilization process, a pressure switch monitors thepressure inside the process chamber to prevent unintentional opening of the device.
Monitoring of water supply: At the end of the cleaning or sterilization process, a pressure switch
monitors the water supply to the water ring pump, which evacuates the process chamber.

Gas supply of medical devices
In hospitals, the gas and media supply is normally ensured by permanently installed supply lines. SUCO
pressure switches and pressure transmitters are used both in the central gas supply for monitoring thepressure of cylinders and in the treatment room behind the gas socket for monitoring medical equipment.
SUCO offers pressure switches suitable for oxygen (O2) also for high pressures. Due to the combustionpromoting effect of oxygen, products in use with oxygen are subject to special restrictions in the choice ofmaterials as well as country-specific approvals and handling regulations. SUCO offers pressure switches
approved and tested for oxygen up to 200 bar. One application is, for example, the monitoring of the inlet
pressure of ozone analysers in ozone therapy.
Hydraulic operating tables
Hydraulic systems are used, for example, in operating tables or rescue tables to lift the patient safely in all
positions. SUCO offers a wide range of compact and assembled pressure switches for such systems, which have
proven themselves a thousand times over due to their durability and reliability.

Convince yourself of our high quality products and send us an inquiry.

Language: English

938 words

Date: 06/30/2020