The July 20, 2019 online edition of Magnetics Business & Technology features Tech Tips Magnetics in Medical Devices: a Practical Guide
written by Nigel Syrotuck, Starfish Medical Mechanical Engineering Team Lead.
Subheaded “Sometimes magnets are behind a core device technology and the commercialization team must account for interference”, the article discusses practical magnetics from a mechanical engineering perspective as it pertains to medical devices.
Syrotuck notes, “More often than you might expect, magnetism plays a key role in the medical device commercialization process. Permanent magnets are used to affix components together to improve cleanability and ingress protection—the magnets can be hidden behind sealed plastic or non-magnetic metal walls without exposing a seam or grooves that collect dirt or biological debris.”
He includes an overview of magnetism and a chart showing very common medical device metals and their relative magnetism. He cautions that “it’s highly dependent on the manufacturing, treatment, and handling processes used to produce the part.”
Syrotuck concludes the article with this thought, “Overall, magnetics play an essential role in medical devices in many ways, but most commonly they are found in EMI shielding or where parts need to be coupled though a sterilisable or cleanable barrier.”