Panacol Introduces Adhesives for Wearable Medical Devices

Panacol has developed an extensive portfolio of specialized adhesives for wearable patient monitoring devices. To provide a complete adhesive solution, Panacol collaborated with metering equipment manufacturer Scheugenpflug and UV equipment manufacturer Dr. Hönle. In this process, a system concept was defined and successfully tested that provides precision metering for the application of low-volume UV adhesives with integrated LED UV curing. An increasing number of wearable patient monitoring devices are worn directly on the body. These devices include diabetes sensors to monitor blood glucose levels (GCM) as well as wireless monitors that transmit patient information to healthcare providers. These devices must be reliable and durable, while also being safe for direct skin contact. Panacol's medical device adhesives demonstrate high-level adhesion on commonly used medical-grade substrates such as polycarbonate, polyimides, polyamides, stainless steel and ceramics. These adhesives are tested for biocompatibility in accordance with ISO 10993-4/-5/-10/-23 and/or USP Class VI protocols. This adhesive group includes LED-curable UV acrylates and UV epoxies that provide the shortest cure cycle times for high-volume production. They are ideal for needle/hub assembly, component bonding and housing sealing. Multiple viscosity ranges are available to provide optimal compatibility with component configuration and assembly processes. Fluorescent versions are available to enhance quality control based on in-line vision systems. Additionally, the group includes electrically conductive adhesives and conventional thermoset epoxies. They provide bonding and supplementary solutions for PCB and electrical component assembly. Various epoxy options with high ionic purity, required to minimize corrosion risk on PCBs, are available. Panacol's silver-filled electrically conductive adhesives can typically replace soldered connections and are applicable to flexible and bendable wearable devices. Precise and consistent adhesive application is mandatory in medical device assembly. For small application volumes, the best choice is the Scheugenpflug DosPL DPL2001 high-precision micro-metering head, part of the Atlas Copco Group. This enables adhesives to be applied with extreme precision even for the smallest volumes in the microliter range. This allows reliable setting of glob tops to 0.003 ml, achievement of metering precision below 0.5 percent, and creation of finest lines with precise start and stop on plastic housings. The metering head operates according to the volumetric metering principle. A control system reliably detects viscosity fluctuations and ensures that the adhesive contour is continuously maintained at high precision. Panacol's UV acrylate and epoxy adhesives can be cured or hardened in seconds thanks to specially formulated compositions. Dr. Hönle's LED curing systems provide maximum optimization of the curing process. This ensures the shortest cure cycle time and highest efficiency. In the tested system concept, the Hönle LED Spot 40 IC with a wavelength of 405 nm was used. The compact design of this LED head enabled integration with the Scheugenpflug DispensingCell DC803 multi-function robotic cell. This work cell allows components to remain in a single position for both metering and UV curing operations. Part handling, component movement, contamination and adhesive migration risks are minimized. This integrated system concept ensures that the adhesive bonding process is carried out to the highest quality standards and with maximum efficiency. Panacol, Scheugenpflug and Hönle's integrated adhesive bonding systems meet the stringent production requirements of medical wearable products in both serial production and continuous-flow operations. Source