Medical devices put tough demands on enclosures. From special hardwearing materials that can withstand heavy use on a daily basis to easy clean finishes and ergonomic designs. After all, they carry out a very important job and form the basis of a doctors or GP’s daily work routine.
Material
Medical devices will of course have a very hands-on lifecycle, daily use is almost assured and throughout their life will encounter everything from being lugged from room to room, dropped in under pressure situations or handled by potentially hundreds of health care professionals.
With this in mind the material of the enclosure has a big impact on its ability to perform as a medical device. It is important to weigh up different materials and their properties to determine which will provide better specifications for the desired application. For example, ABS is a great material for high impact enclosures, whilst remaining on the cheaper side, however with the importance of a medical device, Polycarbonate could be considered a far better option due to its natural UV stability, strong build up and temperature and wear resistance.
Features
Different features are going to going to be useful for different applications. For example, devices that require a screen, overlay or keypad will benefit from a recessed face so that the buttons etc. are flush with the recessed edges. On the other hand, portable devices may make use of battery operation, therefore compartments that make that possible are required. It would be difficult to incorporate every single potential feature into one enclosure, however it is a goal to provide as many as possible.
Flexibility
Electronics in the medical world come in all shapes and sizes to tackle the many potential devices that are used within the industry. The enclosures could specifically be fixed to one spot, wearable or need to be transported, so its impossible to say that one style fits all. Therefore, enclosure manufactures need to determine if the enclosure will target one specific application or be flexible in its approach.
Finish
The finish of an enclosure is more important that it may seem in a medical environment. In a place where bad bacteria can jeopardise the health of a patient, it is highly important that everything is kept clean and sterile. Enclosures with a smooth finish are going to provide an easier surface to clean, whilst also ensuring that harmful bacteria cannot hide in crevasses.
CamdenBoss manufacture a range of off the shelf enclosure solutions, in a variety of styles suitable for the medical sector, view some of the options here: https://uk.farnell.com/b/camdenboss?searchref=searchlookahead