Automated medical device manufacturing through coherent imaging

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Miniature medical devices, such as catheter components and neurostents, require highly precise and repeatable manufacturing. The noncontact and highly localised modification possible through laser processing has opened up new design paradigms but requires considerable process development time and suffers from stochasticities inherent to the underlying process. By adapting state-of-the art medical imaging technology, we have developed a high-speed (up to 312 kHz) coherent imaging system that is easily integrated into a laser processing workstation and can monitor sample changes along the processing beam axis as they happen. This includes the tracking of surface and subsurface changes simultaneously with micron precision. In situ monitoring has allowed us to close the feedback loop to achieve *fully automatic* laser processing with final precision improved by over an order of magnitude compared to open loop processing. This strategic project will allow us to partner with a Canadian medical device manufacturing company and researchers at the University of Stuttgart to exploit this award-winning technology (2010 ICALEO, Anaheim) for practical device processing requirements, and as a novel window into deep laser processing (particularly at high fluences). Funding will enable high-speed feedback control of industrial 3D designs, refinement of a portable system and its testing in the partner's process development laboratory, and exploration of basic questions related to industrially relevant ultrafast processing. Outcomes of the project include: i) HQP training in advanced manufacturing (almost two-thirds of the budget is student and PDF salaries), ii) reduction of process development time through in situ real-time monitoring, iii) improved understanding of laser processing, and iv) creation of new medical device designs enabled by high-speed feedback control. Objectives are aligned with NSERC's strategic target of advancing automation, process improvement and inspection/measurement. This project will have positive implications for a variety of other fields that exploit laser processing such as automotive, agricultural and construction equipment, marine and energy-related industries.