Medical environments typically dictate products be suited for autoclave, sterilization and scaled to support a wide range of device styles and sizes.  The medical device industry continues to develop more disposable and cost effective solutions yet the demand remains for high reliability connectivity options. Increased demand for in-home therapy and longer life spans indicates demand will continue to grow.

Smiths Interconnect’s D Series connectors are a high-reliability alternative to premium priced autoclave compatible connectors.

Smiths Interconnect’s D Series is designed to withstand up to 20 autoclave cycles.  Utilizing a high strength polymer, the D Series is selectively loaded with up to 25 hyperboloid contacts, allowing conformity to most device requirements. The system side panel mount receptacle with Hypertac® sockets provides high mating cycle life (up to 100k cycles), while the cost effective male pin plug on the device side ensures reliability with minimal expense.

“The D Series provides medical device manufacturers with a versatile option when designing next generation product solutions,” says Paul Harris, President, Smiths Interconnect. “Specifically developed to endure numerous autoclave cycles, D Series connectors represent a cost effective design solution without sacrificing any performance requirements critical to innovative medical devices.”

D Series connectors are suited for use in electro-physiology catheters, patient monitors, MRIs, intervascular ultrasounds, defibrillators, infusion pumps and laboratory equipment.

Success story

A medical device manufacturer was looking for an alternative to standard high-cost autoclave-compatible connector offerings for a range of electrophysiology catheters used to map the electrical activity of the heart to detect arrhythmia. This minimally invasive procedure provides access through a small incision (typically in the groin area) feeding the disposable catheter through a blood vessel to the heart, allowing quicker patient recovery than traditional open heart methods. Due to the requirements for size, reliability, and sterilization, the customer required a connector with up to 25 contacts that was easy to use, reliable and could survive multiple autoclave cycles.

The solution was Smiths Interconnect’s D Series, designed to withstand up to 20 autoclave cycles. Utilizing a high strength polymer for both the plug and receptacle, the D Series is selectively loaded with up to 25 hyperboloid contacts, allowing conformity to most device requirements. The system side panel mount receptacle with Hypertac® sockets provides high mating cycle life (up to 100k cycles), while the cost effective male pin plug on the device side ensures reliability with minimal expense.

Customer advantages

  • Reliable: High cycle life on the system side increases the Mean Time Between Failures
  • User Friendly: The simple push-button latching system ensures connectors stay dependably mated during the procedure; then unmated quickly and easily
  • Robust: Available in high strength polymer for harsh environments and sterilization
  • Economical: The standard 25 position D02 can be selectively loaded without custom components.  The male plug provides a cost effective mate to the receptacle with high cycle life Hypertac® socket contacts
  • Crimp and Poke Contacts: Eliminates the need to pre-tin, solder, and shrink boot during termination – reducing assembly costs and cost of ownership