If catheter balloons from all manufacturers are nearly identical in terms of quality, how can a machine maker of the devices differentiate itself from other manufacturers? Machine Solutions Inc., Flagstaff, Ariz. (machinesolutions.com) answered the question with a design that centralizes control and motion into a single device, getting rid of multiple PLCs and separate motion controllers. The new balloon-catheter machine further simplifies internal connections and to the factory network by Ethernet. And MSI improved on its safety features with a device that monitors a range of pressures and temperatures, and light curtains. Most of the new I/O, controllers, and safety sensors come from Beckhoff Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., (beckhoff.com). says MSI's software and electrical engineer Brent Bohmont. His team selected the compact Beckhoff C6920 Industrial PC running TwinCAT Point-to-Point software. Beckhoff's version of Ethernet, EtherCAT, serves as the fieldbus with distributed I/O bus terminals. And TwinSafe provides pressure, temerature, and light curtain sensors.

Other machine improvements were to the HMI. “Machines often have complicated HMIs because many parameters affect balloon blowing and forming. The MSI equipment has a more intuitive HMI that provides easy-to-use features for parameter documentation,” says Bohmont.

Coronary angioplasty balloons from the proposed machine will typically measure 1 to 4 mm. “The system software is flexible enough to make changes in balloon size beyond this as needs arise,” says Bohmont. “This could mean adding motion axes or changing heater profiles, things we should be able to adjust without major hardware modifications.”