How to Enhance Your Medical Device Manufacturing Process by Upgrading Your Ultrasonic Welding Systems

In the realm of medical device manufacturing, any device being produced will require some amount of assembly. With technology today, this assembly is made more efficient and effective with the use of ultrasonic welding systems. 

With annual production volumes steadily increasing into the hundreds of millions, your ultrasonic welding system has likely been used for billions of cycles. This could be a slight problem when you consider the damages the machine may be subject to over the years it has been working

Along with regular wear and tear, standards are becoming increasingly more demanding, and production processes are evolving. Modern standards demand quality assurance, 

With outdated technology, a steady increase in production rates, and stricter standards, it may be time for medical device manufacturers like you to upgrade your ultrasonic welding systems.

5 Steps to Upgrading Your Ultrasonic Welding Systems

If you have been using the same ultrasonic welding system for some time now, especially if it has been over seven years, your manufacturing process is probably far from the desired efficiency. With new and updated technology, you could revolutionize your process to be more efficient, effective, and reliable. 

Knowing what to update, and how to do it, can be tricky. Here are five steps you can follow to ensure you’re doing the right thing for your company that are recommended by experts:

1. Collaboration: It is essential that you collaborate and communicate with your equipment supplier. Help them help you. Above all of the other steps, this one is arguably the most important. Your ultrasonic welding system supplier is an expert on these machines, and has the insight to be able to help your company work to the best of its ability. 
2. Site evaluation: Have a specialist visit your manufacturing site, do a walkthrough, and evaluate your current condition. It is much easier to implement the most dynamic systems for you when the supplier has a good idea of what they are working with. A walkthrough is the most effective form of communication, so that the specialist can personally evaluate your current equipment and facility. 
3. Finding a solution and test it: After the walkthrough, consult with your supplier to decide the solution that will work best for you. What you choose will depend on many things such as the age of your current equipment, production needs, costs, and space. The first solution you choose might not be ideal, which is why testing is essential. Implementing an entirely new system without testing it first could completely disrupt your production process and cause a multitude of issues for your company. 
4. Form a plan: After you have tested multiple solutions and discussed the results with your provider, it’s time to make a plan of action. Based on the test results, you can form a strategic plan of implementation whether that is a new system all together, or upgrades to your current system. Your plan should also include a detailed timeline and cost summary in order to ensure you stay within your current abilities as a company. 
5. Implementation: Now, set the plan into action. Your new equipment will need to be delivered and installed. Along with the installation, it will be calibrated and tested to make sure it is working correctly. If the system is new and unique from the ones you have used in the past, you may want to also consider requesting training for yourself and your employees. 

Consult a Specialist

Throughout this article we have mentioned specialists and providers that will be helping you through the process of upgrading your ultrasonic welding systems. Some of you may be wondering where you can find those specialists. Lucky you, we’re right here! Here at AMS we take pride in our specialists of medical manufacturing, consumer automation, plastics assembly, and transportation systems. If you need help regarding automated systems in any of these industries, don’t hesitate to contact us or book a virtual meeting.