Medical Device Mfg. Reduces Labor Costs with Microcontroller

Challenge

A medical device manufacturer wanted to upgrade a legacy water circulation system for an MRI machine that they build and sell. The water in this system is heated and cooled in order to keep the patient comfortable during a MRI procedure. The legacy system used relay logic and manual input devices to control the circulation, heat, and cooling of the water. Relay logic is complex, inflexible, and labor intensive compared to modern PLC/HMI control technologies.

Solution

After reviewing the system, Valin’s automation engineers discovered they could eliminate the use of over 10 relays and 2 of the 4 power supplies. They recommended using a microcontroller with an Ethernet HMI touchscreen display, and a single power supply. Valin’s quote was under the manufacturer’s budget and accepted.

Customer Benefits

The medical device manufacturer now has a modern touch screen control interface for their hospital and clinic customer-base all over the world. They will be taking the prototype to their next industry trade show to display their modern system and increase their relevancy in the marketplace. Additionally, they reduced their labor costs by $260 per system and added an element of flexibility should changes be desired down the road.

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