Pioneering laser surgery company Diomed has chosen Prism as lead supplier of electronic circuit boards for the company’s ground-breaking DELTA surgical diode laser.
Cambridge-based Diomed is an industry leader in vein care. Its DELTA laser is used by physicians across the world in the treatment of conditions such as varicose veins.
The instrument is supplied with a three-year warranty. This, combined with its international customer base, meant Diomed needed a manufacturing partner that it could trust to deliver highly reliable electronic boards. If the surgical lasers fail in the field they could adversely affect patient care as well as prove costly for Diomed to service and rectify.
Prism manufactures products to IPC-A-610, an international standard for consistent manufacture and quality of workmanship. Through this Prism is able to deliver assemblies to high standards to help its clients manage quality, reliability and risk more effectively.
Rosie Reader manufacturing products for Diomed’s ground-breaking DELTA surgical diode laser.
There are three classes of product within IPC-A-610. Class 3 is the most stringent and intended for products that are used in demanding or critical conditions, such as hospital equipment. The tolerances on the manufacture of this type of equipment are strict to minimise the risk of the equipment failing in use.
Production staff at Prism are trained, and its production processes are optimised, to deliver Class 3 standard manufacture regardless of the intended end use of the product.
Factors such as this were important in Diomed’s decision to choose Prism. It also wanted a manufacturing partner that could provide a full range of manufacturing services including component procurement and assembly as well as full testing capability.
Prism’s expertise was also drawn on during the early stages of designing the DELTA laser. Engineers at Diomed worked closely with the technical development team at Prism to help optimise the product for manufacture.
“It was essential that we found a manufacturing partner that was able consistently to deliver electronic boards that would be reliable,” said Sue Tolliday, operations manager at Diomed. “It was also important that we found a supplier that had the capability to procure components as well as manufacture and test electronic boards for the DELTA laser.
“As well as meeting these fundamental needs, Prism has subsequently also proved to be flexible, communicative and responsive.”
Each DELTA laser contains six boards. These are manufactured in sets by Prism and delivered in line with Diomed’s order schedule. Prism is also working to help Diomed support an older generation of equipment by identifying and sourcing alternatives to electronic components that are obsolete.
