AME Group (stand 9A) will be discussing medical device design challenges at this year's Med-Tech Innovation Expo in Coventry, saying it can offer an end-to-end solution with design and prototyping services under one roof.
The firm’s current work includes the development of a device that allows heart patients to be screened in just 90 seconds. The Rapid Rhythm device facilitates quicker electrocardiogram (ECG) tests compared to traditional methods and requires fewer training hours for medical professionals.
As part of a user-focused design process for Rapid Rhythm, AME conducted on-site interviews at GP surgeries and heart wards to observe patients and health professionals. This enabled the team to understand how they engaged with ECG test equipment, identifying problems with existing products and opportunities for innovation.
AME says it understands the integral role of consumer insight in the product development process, and as such the creative team undertakes extensive research to give the final product a competitive edge.
The aim is to understand user requirements, and current and emerging trends. AME says “the user inspires and informs the design direction to enhance the effectiveness of the product outcome, whilst trends influence and drive the product strategy”.
Informed by the findings gathered through research the firm can facilitate the conceptual design of a physical product, its packaging design, graphics or brand. Processes here might include creative workshops to generate intellectual property, concept development to explore potential design solutions and sketch models to assess a products appearance and ergonomics.
Once complete the product is validated and detailed by AME engineers using various physical and virtual techniques. The firm says it also helps clients to create robust manufacturing strategies and identify suitable partners for mass production.
The group offers a range of in-house rapid prototyping processes to produce one-off verification prototypes, fully finished appearance models or low volume production solutions. Prototyping techniques help verify a device to ensures it meets the required specification and regulatory requirements. This helps reduce risk, and avoid the potential costs associated with production changes further down the line.
For low volume production, AME says that its facilities provide a cost-effective manufacturing solution. In the case of Rapid Rhythm, the AME team manufactured a small quantity of devices to validate the product in the field prior to volume manufacture.
