Aerotech's Nanotranslation Crossed-Roller (ANT-LX) stages are the best in class in combining speed, accuracy, resolution, repeatability, reliability, and size. As an evolution of the popular ANT stage family, ANT-LX linear stages exhibit enhanced motion performance over Aerotech's first generation ANT series. Product improvements such as 5g acceleration, 500 mm/s velocity, enhanced load capacity, and standardized, universal base mounting patterns allow the use of this flexible stage family in an even wider range of configurations than its predecessors. NONCONTACT DIRECT-DRIVE All of the original ANT series' direct-drive advantages have been preserved in the LX family.

Zwick's newly-developed Touch PC is designed to make materials-testing machines even easier and more efficient to operate. The Touch PC combines a user-friendly touch-screen with a powerful, integrated embedded industrial computer. Space is saved by mounting the system directly on the materials-testing machine. The flexible operating position - it can be rotated, swivelled and tilted, raised or lowered -ensures operator comfort and simplifies handling. For example, during set-up the operator always has the status display, showing force, travel and machine status, in his/her field of vision. A particular feature of this system is its quick, safe operation.

Record sales - for the first time above CHF 200 million

The Schurter Group, active in the electronics industry, increased sales by 13,0% to CHF 210,7 in 2007. Cash flow increased to CHF 17,2 mill. (+4,2 %) and profit amounted to CHF 7,4 million (-11,6%). The result achieved can be attributed to a favourable economic environment and to a general increase in productivity.

With the acquisition of the Ticomel Group in southern Switzerland, the share of consolidated sales generated abroad amounts 80%. The Ticomel Group is an electronic manufacturer (EMS) with a production site in Romania. Sales with input systems increased by more than 7% to just under CHF 50 million, component sales remained stable with CHF 130 million.

The SCHURTER group is optimistic for 2008. Despite high pricing pressure, permanent price erosion in the Asian markets and the emerging weakness of the US Dollar, SCHURTER expects a moderate growth in sales.

The Lucerne based family-owned enterprise employs 1'661 persons, whereof 518 in Switzerland in Lucerne, Mellingen and Mendrisio.

QuadTech's new, easy-to-use RMA process provides customers with updated service information 24/7 QuadTech, a leading provider of electrical safety test and passive component measurement solutions, today announced the implementation of Frontlines Returns, an automated and highly configurable RMA process management system. The integration of Frontlines with the QuadTech website moves the RMA process entirely online. QuadTech customers servicing their test and measurement equipment will have the ability to track the status of their service orders through the RMA process from their own computer - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Core VisualVault functionality continues to strengthen and build upon prior product versions VisualVault v2.8 builds upon existing capabilities to further enhance usability, provide support for sophisticated compliance environments, and support high-volume scan and capture requirements. Customer input drives product enhancements and the following items were requested and delivered: ADMINISTRATION Connection manager: centralized control for establishing access to remote data sources and queries. Allows secure control by administrators, yet allows easy configuration for business analysts.

SunTech Medical launches their Advantage™ HDM (Hemodialysis Monitoring) OEM Non-invasive Blood Pressure (OEM NIBP) technology designed specifically for monitoring blood pressure during hemodialysis. This application-specific technology recently achieved an A rating for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurement according to the British Hypertension Society (BHS) protocol. SunTech Medical recognized the need to address concerns over the accuracy of automated blood pressure measurements on hemodialysis patients. In response, they investigated an oscillometric blood pressure technology for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients during hemodialysis.

The growing demand for advanced materials testing systems in the Asia-Pacific region is a positive trend that prepares organisations in the region to enter the global arena. The Zwick Roell Group aims to promote and enhance this growth by showcasing testing systems ranging from universal testing machines to the latest generation of materials testing software at the Asian Forum for Materials Testing. The 5th Asian Forum for Materials Testing will take place from 28 to 29 May in Seoul, Korea. Lectures and presentations by prominent industry leaders and Zwick Roell industry experts complement the exhibition, giving visitors a well-rounded perspective of materials testing in the industry today.

In addition to IRC's realtionship with Korea Testing Laboratories (KTL) headquartered in Seoul, Korea, IRC has entered into an agreement with LSK Biopartners enabling services for clinical studies and cliical trial managment. This union enables our clients to conduct clinical trials in a truly global environment with high quality expertise.

Although IRC has provided has traditionally offered consulting service for client's requiring clinical trials for their products, IRC has now added to its staff to provide improved services in a highly cost effective and extremely competitive approach.

As an alternative to large organizations, we provide the kind of personalized and responsive service to help minimize delays and to help keep cost to a minimum without sacrificing the clinical science required.

The US Food and Drug Administration has updated regulations which requiring all foreign manufacturers of medical devices and other FDA regulated products to designate and appoint a US Agent to represent the manufacturer with the FDA. The US Agent must be a US resident with a formal business address in the United States.

As the premiere US Agent service, IRC has been serving foreign manufacturers for over ten plus years. Our experience and expertise in translating your needs and meeting your objectives is unparalleled. We offer a wide variety of services as US Agent, from simple representation to enhanced consultation.

By achieving the seal-tight protection class of IP69K, SCHURTER is extending the spectrum of potential applications for its already tried-and-tested PSE family of piezo switches. The qualification test was carried out using a high-pressure vapor stream at 90 Bar and a temperature of 80°C. The hermetically sealed piezo switches can now be used in areas, which are regularly disinfected or cleaned using high-pressure cleaners. This renders them ideal for use in applications exposed to high levels of dirt and grime such as food processing, commercial cooking and transportation. Besides the extraordinarily long lifetime of more than 20 million switching cycles, SCHURTER piezo switches also reveal a high level of robustness due to their stainless steel or aluminum housing.

New adhesive platform offers better performance, expanded fabric and film compatibility - while lowering healthcare costs MACtac Medical Products has introduced its enhanced line of single-coated and double-coated pressure-sensitive adhesive systems, specifically designed for use in surgical drape application. MACtac Medical Products' expanded platform features three categories of adhesion: maximum hold, medium hold and gentle hold. Through this platform converters can rely on MACtac for superior performing adhesive systems that are tested according to ISO 10993-5/-10 standards for cytotoxicity, skin irritation and skin sensitization.

The growing demand for advanced materials testing systems in the Asia-Pacific region is a positive trend that prepares organisations in the region to enter the global arena. The Zwick Roell Group aims to promote and enhance this growth by showcasing testing systems ranging from universal testing machines to the latest generation of materials testing software at the Asian Forum for Materials Testing. The 5th Asian Forum for Materials Testing will take place from 28 to 29 May in Seoul, Korea. Lectures and presentations by prominent industry leaders and Zwick Roell industry experts complement the exhibition, giving visitors a well-rounded perspective of materials testing in the industry today.

Tyco Electronics has recently introduced autoclaveable cable assemblies fabricated from STERILENE-enhanced silicone for surgical video and power tools. This latest innovation in material technology eliminates the surface tackiness of silicone and appeals to end-users in hospitals and clinics, by providing a cleaner look and smoother feel.

Precision interconnect cable assemblies with STERILENE-enhanced silicone cable jackets maintain their smooth feel, flexibility and strength after repeated autoclave sterilization. Even after being subjected to 1,000 autoclave cycles, 500 Sterrad (100) cycles and 1,000 Steris (System 1) cycles, biocompatible STERILENE-enhanced silicone jacketed cables show no measurable degradation in jacket lubricity or electrical and mechanical properties.

The new cable jackets slip comfortably over gloved hands, scrubs and surgical drape. This extra degree of cable manoeuvrability makes it easier to manipulate hand-held surgical devices that are linked by cables to controllers or power sources. STERILENE-enhanced silicone is available on precision interconnect pre-engineered BASIS cable assemblies as well as on custom cable assemblies.

Tyco Electronics introduces its rugged, user-friendly and sterilisable medical CPC connector for use in applications such as surgical power instruments, RF and ultrasound ablation and EP monitors used in the operating room. Available with 5, 6, 7 or 10 contact positions, the devices are very cost-effective and benefit from a robust self-latching mechanism which is secure under axial and torsional loads. CPC medical connectors feature a grip area with push-pull action, gold-plated contacts for a reliable connection, MEDLOC II enhanced latch release and a black or grey lightweight housing which is resistant to shock, drop and chemically induced cracking.

Tinius Olsen is one of the world's foremost specialist manufacturers and suppliers of testing machines for the medical device industry. Our machines are designed for use in research and quality-control departments to measure, prove and check the physical strength and performance of both materials – be they metals, composites, polymers, rubbers or adhesives – and finished components. A complete series of physical tests are available that include measuring tension, shear, compression, flexure / bending, puncture / burst, tear, peel and frictional strengths, melt flow, impact resistance, stiffness, deflection temperature under load, Vicat penetration, and torsion strength.

Tyco Electronics Ltd. is a leading global provider of engineered electronic components, network solutions, wireless systems and undersea telecommunication systems, with fiscal 2007 sales of US$13.5 billion to customers in more than 150 countries. We design, manufacture and market products for customers in industries from automotive, appliance and aerospace and defence to telecommunications, computers and consumer electronics. With approximately 8,000 engineers and worldwide manufacturing, sales and customer service capabilities, Tyco Electronics' commitment is our customers' advantage. MEDICAL ELECTRONICS SOLUTIONS BROUGHT TO LIFE Tyco Electronics is a leader in cutting-edge medical technology and provides advanced products including calibrators, specialist cable and wire, medical grade tubing, labelling products, fibre optic, wireless components and touch screen.

Intertech Engineering Associates is a leader in medical device design, development, verification, validation, consulting and training. Intertech is a Massachusetts-based corporation that has been providing a variety of services to the medical device industry since 1982. We help clients to design, develop and validate their products, manage their projects, and build their own internal expertise and training infrastructure. MEDICAL DEVICE DESIGN Our 25-year focus on the medical device industry has made Intertech&squo;s experienced engineers keenly aware of the regulatory challenges its clients face with new product design and development.

We have only performed non-destructive analysis on the fractured CSLP pieces to determine only the fracture mode. We performed initial low magnification stereomicroscope examination on both fracture pieces of the locking plate at 50X magnification. One half of the fractured locking plate piece was examined in the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to determine the fracture mode and crack initiation areas. The fine features on the fracture are analyzed to determine the fracture mode (e.g. fatigue, overload, embrittlement, etc.). RESULTS An overall view of the fractured CSLP is shown in Figure 1.

Nanon has over the last few years developed four unique technologies, able to assist the medical device industry to extend the possibilities with silicone rubber. The technologies are able to tailor-make the silicone surface as well as the bulk - without compromising the physical properties. ColdCuring™: Removes volatiles to parts-per-million level Safe to 'post cure' in combinations with thermoplastic materials Avoids slit healing - also after gamma sterilizations SiliCO2ne Impregnation™: Impregnates substances like oils, drugs, fragrances etc.

Laser Competence Centre Finland (LCC Finland) covers the whole development chain including technology oriented basic research, end users' application development, system integration and testing of lasers as well as training aspects. The objective is to adapt new laser technologies to the needs of industry so that the companies can experiment and develop their products and their processes by utilising the know-how and hardware of the centre. Laser Pilot Factory (LPF), an application laboratory of LCC Finland, has been running for one full year at Tampere University of Technology (TUT). It has been proven to be a successful concept: new type of lasers were tested and evolved, new applications found and nurtured.