OEM Essentials March 2018

Keeping industry professionals current on the latest technology, going back to

basics, and general interest knowledge that affects your day-to-day operations.

IN THIS ISSUE:
P2 - 10 Factors that Impact Handheld/Portable Device Design
P6 - Soft Robotic Ventricular Assist for Pediatric Patients Sponsored By:

WE THOUGHT YOU MIGHT LIKE…

P7 - How Industrial Engineering Propels Tech Giants
P9 - The 411 on Submersible Pumps
10 Factors that Impact Handheld / Portable Device Design
Portable Device Market Drivers
In recent years, there’s been significant growth in the
market for portable and handheld battery-powered
devices, particularly in the fields of healthcare, oil and gas,
manufacturing, testing and measurement, transportation,
mining, and security.
As a result of rapid technological innovation, along with
miniaturization of components such as batteries, pumps,
and power electronics, the demand for these devices is
expected to increase in the coming years -- and there are
a number of statistics we can look at to validate this.
The first statistic comes from a recent report by Research
and Markets, which forecasts that the medical devices
sector will grow by 38% through 2022. The driving force
behind this growth will be increased integration between
smartphones, wearables, and connected health solutions.
Many of these fall under the umbrella of mobile health – or
mHealth as it’s sometimes called. As a whole, the global
wearables market is expected to be worth over $25 billion
by 2019 – this according to CCS Insight.
The market for portable gas detectors is growing rapidly
as well, and is forecasted to reach $1.4 billion by 2021.
Growth in this area will largely be driven by increasing oil
and gas exploration across the globe, as well as higher
demand for portable gas detectors in end-user application
industries, such as chemical refining and transportation,
fire service, and wastewater treatment.
Opportunities and Challenges
The increase in demand for portable devices worldwide
has created both opportunities and challenges for device
designers. In addition to looking for more capability and
functionality at a lower price, end-users are increasingly
seeking devices that fit their unique needs -- and these
needs vary greatly depending on the application.
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For example, mechanical circulatory assist devices, which
are commonly used in the treatment of severe heart failure
as bridges to cardiac transplant are integral to patient
well-being, therefore, the devices must be both extremely
accurate and extremely reliable.
Conversely, in a standard portable gas monitor used for
measuring air quality in non-life threatening environments,
reliability is desirable but critical. In these cases,
characteristics such as durability and usability are
more important.
Wearable applications are especially unique in that
designers must take into consideration weight and size,
and perhaps more importantly, noise and vibration.
Generally speaking, most applications require high
performance from portable devices in a combination
of areas. This has subsequently made designers’ job
increasingly difficult due to the fact that increasing
performance in one area often requires a trade-off of
some type in another area.
#1 Battery Life / Efficiency
Battery life and device efficiency are two of the most
important factors for OEMs to consider from a
design standpoint.
Battery storage capacity per unit area has increased
roughly 8 to 10 percent per year over the past decade,
however, with consumers seeking more functional and
feature-rich devices, the demands being placed on
batteries is increasing at a much higher rate.
Device battery life is a product of a number of different
variables. In many medical and air monitoring devices,
pumps represent one of the biggest consumers of power.
As a result, selection and sizing of pump and pump
components is critical to maximizing battery life.
The proper selection of motor technology for the pump
will contribute greatly to the overall efficiency of the
system as well. Designers have their choice between DC
brush or brushless motors – each of which offers unique
advantages depending on the power requirements of
the device.
Properly matching the orifice size of the solenoid valves
and other components to ensure that they are not acting
as a restriction is also important to maximizing efficiency.
This is largely due to the fact that it minimizes the amount of
energy consumed by diaphragm pumps and compressors.
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Optimizing mechanical components to increase efficiency
can lead to a number of benefits because as efficiency
increases, the size of the battery in the device can
be reduced. This plays an important role in wearable
applications where size and weight have to be minimized.
Additionally, by minimizing the size of the battery or
power-source, the electrical and thermal energy available
for ignition is decreased and the device becomes more
intrinsically safe. This is also important in wearable and
medical applications, and even more so in monitoring
devices that will be used in hazardous and/or
flammable environments.
#2 Reliability
Ensuring that a handheld device will perform reliability is
important to every end-user. However, as was previously
discussed, in some applications, such as medical and
hazardous gas detection operations, where the result of
failure can be a fatality, it’s mission-critical.
Like battery life, device reliability is impacted by a number
of variables. Two of the most important are the number
of mechanical parts in the device and proper selection of
pump and motor technology.
The number of mechanical parts is important for the
simple fact that as it increases, so does the number of
failure points. Proper selection of power electronics and
circuitry is also important to ensure voltage and current
are within allowable design ranges. In many instances,
redundancies can be added to devices in the event of
component failure; however, doing so will often come
with trade-offs in the form of increased weight, size,
and complexity.
Pump selection is also critical to reliability. When it
comes to pumps inside portable devices, reliability and
cycle life requirements will be affected by selection of
the motor technology, diaphragm elastomer, fluidic loads
and cycling. The outside temperature and humidity of the
environment that the components will be exposed to plays
into this equation as well.
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DC brush motors are commonly used in many low cost
portable devices that utilize diaphragm pressure and
vacuum pumps. These motors feature carbon brushes,
which conduct the electrical input from the lead wires
to the motor’s commutator. The constant rubbing of the
brushes causes them to wear down over time – not all that
dissimilar to how lead wears down in a pencil.
Brush motors are typically designed to last from 500 hours
to 5000 hours, depending on the quality of the motor and
how it is used. In general, brush motors that experience
frequent on/off cycles per day wear out more quickly.
Brushless DC motors can be used in portable devices
to alleviate many of the issues experienced with brush
motors. In a brushless motor, the magnets are on the
rotor and the windings are wrapped around poles on the
stator. Instead of brushes and a commutator bar, the
windings are switched on and off sequentially by
solid-state electronics.
Brushless motors require less maintenance and
are generally smaller and lighter than brush motors.
Operational life of the motors can in many instances
exceed 10,000 hours. This precision design also can
produce a quieter motor as the mechanical noise
common with brushless motors is significantly reduced.
#3 Size and Weight
The third item on our list of factors that impact handheld
device design is size and weight.
As is the case with nearly every piece of technology,
users of devices today are demanding products that are
smaller and lighter. This is especially critical in wearable
applications, where the device will be attached or carried
by a person for extended periods of time. In medical
applications, for example, patients may be required to
wear a device 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. One specific
example of this is vacuum pumps used for negative
pressure wound therapy.
It’s important for designers to take into account possible
trade-offs that come along with reducing the size and
weight of a device. For instance, designing and fabricating
an extremely small device might require the miniaturization
or removal of certain internal components, such valves,
batteries or power electronics. This can lead to any
number of outcomes, including decreased performance/
functionality and reduced battery life. Decreased pump or
component life is also a concern if bearings are undersized
or other mechanical components are overstressed.
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#4 Accuracy / Sensitivity
As has been the case with the other design factors we’ve
covered so far, the level of accuracy required by a handheld
device -- particularly ones used for monitoring purposes – is
largely dictated by the specific application it is to be used in.
Although accuracy is a function of the sum of the quality of
device components, such as sensors, pumps are particularly
important. Most if not all applications require the pump to
produce the performance necessary for the device to operate.
As a result, choosing the proper pump size and technology
is critical.
When it comes to determining the level of accuracy needed
for a device, designers must take into account what gas
exposures may enhance or degrade the expected signal of
the monitored gas. For example, does gas X exposure to
gas Y result in inaccurate reporting of the gas X concentration?
One can see how this has potentially dangerous under-
reporting implications.
#5 Noise / Vibration
Similar to size and weight, limiting noise
and vibration of monitoring devices
is critical in wearable applications,
particularly when it comes to patient care
in the medical field.
Pump design and selection will have a large impact on noise
and vibration levels.
Measures designers can take to minimize noise include
reducing pump stroke and chamber efficiencies. Utilizing a
dual-head pump at lower speed rather than a single head
pump may also be effective, as well as optimizing
diaphragm shape.
Once again, it’s important for designers to consider the
potential trade-offs associated with taking these measures.
Using a dual-head pump, for instance, may result in an
increase in the size and weight of the device, which may or
may not be an issue given the device’s application.
Close collaboration with the pump OEM, as well as other
component manufacturers, is necessary to ensure that an
optimal design is employed.
#6 Operating Temperature Range
Devices are often required to operate in different environments
depending on their application. This can include extremely high
and low ambient temperatures, and sometimes both.
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In process, hazardous gas monitoring, and medical
applications, for example, the device has to be able to handle
a wide range of temperature extremes. This may require
the use of materials that are temperature-resistant or the
implementation of protection measures that prevent device
internals from being damaged.
#7 Ruggedness / Durability
Devices used in the field on a daily basis need to be highly
durably, as they are often exposed to a range of environmental
conditions, including humidity, cold, heat, dust, etc. This is also
the case with medical and wearable devices that undergo low
but continuous stress caused by walking or moving.
Durability is affected by a number of factors, including
materials of construction, how the internal components are
fixed to each other, and the construction of the housing and/or
protective case.
Devices that lack the required level of durability will result in
inaccurate readings if they are not carefully handled. They
will also need to be calibrated more frequently and are more
susceptible to physical damage of internals or mechanical
parts. All of these ultimately shorten the useful life of the
device, reduce the mean time between failures, and
increase repair costs.
Certain applications may require special measures to be taken
with regards to durability. In process and aggressive chemical
applications, for instance, the devices need to be highly
resistant to corrosion.
The same goes for devices used in the medical field, where
they can be exposed to bodily fluids.
In analytical and laboratory applications, cleanliness may be a
concern, which can necessitate the need for ultra-high purity
materials of construction to minimize particle generation and
process contamination.
#8 Operating Life
Operational life is another important design factor that is most
often dictated by the specific application that the device will
be used in. Some devices are disposable or are designed to
run intermittently, while others may require 10,000 hours of
continuous use or more.
Operational life requirements are impacted by factors, such
as motor technology, bearing system, starting loads, voltage
type and method of applying it (pulse width modulation PWM),
pump type, and fluidic loads.
Obviously, the temperature and aggressiveness of the
environment will impact device lifespan as well.
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#9 Cost
In recent years, an increasing number of end-users are
evaluating cost less on a basis of purchase price, and more
on total cost of ownership (TCO), where factors such as
maintenance, energy consumption, and operating life are all
taken into account.
Purchasing a device that is “cheap” may end up costing more
over the course of its lifespan due to component failure, which
will require replacement of parts or purchasing of a new device
all together.
For designers, identifying application-specific needs and
working with OEMs will help minimize the cost to design and
manufacture a device, which ultimately will translate to more
benefits for the end-user.
#10 Usability
The final item on our list is usability or user-friendliness.
Designing touch panels and user-interfaces for the growing
handheld market has its challenges, especially when we
consider that most users are accustomed to the interfaces
used on their smartphones.
For handheld devices that are used for a single function, it’s
relatively easy for device designers to develop a product that
is easy to use. However, as the functionality and capabilities
of the device increase, input controls may be required from
the user that will increase complexity. This also is the case
with devices that have the capability to log and store data.
Employing a UI that is intuitive and simple will ultimately
improve the ability of the consumer to properly utilize
the device.
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Having devices with network connectivity capabilities has
become increasingly important to end-users as well. This has
been especially true in recent years, with the emergence of
the internet of things (or IoT). Many end-users, in fact, have
now come to expect connective capabilities to be included in
their device.
Some of the potential trade-offs associated with adding
remote or network capabilities include decreased battery life,
increased size and weight, and reduced reliability as a result
of higher complexity.
Conclusion
One thing device designers should fully understand is that
when it comes to developing a handheld and/or battery-
powered product, no single or universal design is best. The
optimal solution will be dictated by the unique needs of the
application, along with the specific objectives of the user.
For instance, some end-users require extremely high accuracy
of their device, but not extended battery life. Others require
extreme ruggedness and durability, but less accuracy.
As mentioned previously, most devices require high
performance from portable devices in a combination of areas,
which makes designer’s job a balancing act of sorts.
By engaging early in the design process and collaborating with
OEMs and component manufacturers, designers can reduce
their cost and more effectively develop solutions that best meet
the needs of their customers.
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Soft Robotic Ventricular Assist for Pediatric Patients
Researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital, the Harvard
John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied
Sciences and the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired
Engineering at Harvard University have developed a
novel robotic cardiac assist device for patients with
one-sided heart failure. The robotic system combines
soft actuators with a rigid brace that penetrates into the
heart’s intraventricular septum to provide gentle pumping
assistance to just one side of the heart.
The implantable soft robotic device augments cardiac function in
isolated left or right heart failure by applying rhythmic loading to
either ventricle. Source: Boston Children’s Hospital
Recognizing that pediatric heart patients have more
one-sided congenital heart conditions, the researchers
designed the device specifically for this population.
Mechanical pumps are available to help propel blood
through the heart, but these are designed so that blood
must run through the pump itself, exposing blood to its
unnatural surface.
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“Running blood through a pump always requires a
patient to be placed — permanently — on anticoagulant
medication to prevent blood clotting,” said Nikolay
Vasilyev, M.D., a researcher in cardiac surgery at Boston
Children’s. “It can be very difficult to keep the right
balance of medication, especially in pediatric patients,
who are therefore at risk of excessive bleeding or
dangerous clotting.”
The new device uses soft external robotic actuators to
help squeeze blood through the heart’s own chamber.
A rigid race component inserted by needle prevents the
septum from shifting under the pressure of the artificial
“muscle” of the soft actuator. Two distinct versions of the
system were configured for the right and left ventricle,
each including a septal anchor, a bracing bar and sealing
sleeve that pass through the ventricle wall, and a frame
embedded with soft actuators that is mounted around the
ventricle. The devices are implanted on the beating heart
under echocardiography guidance.
In porcine model studies, the soft robotic system
contributed significantly to the diseased ventricle’s
ability to eject blood. The system also made significant
improvement in a heart’s ability to draw blood into
ventricles, which is just as important as the heart’s ability
to pump it out.
“As the actuators relax, specially-designed elastic bands
help return the heart’s wall to its original position, filling the
chamber sufficiently with blood,” Vasilyev said.
The team is now pursuing portability and miniaturization
of components, and pans longer duration animal trials to
gauge how the system impacts the heart over prolonged
tine periods.
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How Industrial Engineering Propels Tech Giants
For some, “industrial engineering” evokes images
of engineers in hardhats and coveralls, digging into
a machine or working on production processes in
factories. While the term was originally used to describe
manufacturing technologies, its definition has grown to
include the methodical or analytical optimization of any
process, organization or system. It’s probably no surprise,
then, that large and complex tech companies benefit from
industrial engineering in a big way.
A two-story lounge at Google’s New York City office, complete
with playground slide. Source: Eric Laigel / Google
Industrial engineering encompasses a wide range of
practices and methods, many of which are useful to
tech giants who may have only a small stake in actual
manufacturing. Just a few are discussed below.
Human Factors Engineering
The vast majority of knowledge workers spend their
working days at a desk in front of at least one screen. This
means that ergonomics and human factors engineering —
the practice of designing products, systems and processes
for ideal interaction between them and the people who use
them — is more important than ever.
Google’s offices around the world consistently set a high
benchmark for human-centered workplaces. Their New
York City office features lounge-like workspaces, an
apartment-themed conference room for those wanting
to “work from home,” modular desks that employees can
customize, libraries and even playground slides to get
from one floor to another.
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While Google’s examples are extreme, most large tech
companies are accounting for human factors in other
ways. Open floor plans devoid of cubicles are becoming
common, for example. Other companies provide laid-
back, shared workspaces for project collaboration, stand-
up or convertible desks to improve employee health and
themed floor plans. According to human factors research,
these changes can result in a happier and healthier
workforce, which is good for both employees
and employers.
Analytics
In today’s big-data-driven culture, companies are learning
to prefer decisions based on hard data rather than the
opinions or experience of C-suite executives. It’s probably
no surprise then that many large tech companies have
growing data science departments.
Most consumers know that Uber is a major disruptive
force in transportation, and it’s worth examining how the
company uses data to drive efficient operation as well as
its own market. In a traditional taxi model, a rider hails a
taxi that happens to be driving by. The rider pays their fare
and gets out. This is an example of an open-loop system
— a transaction occurred with no feedback. Besides the
driver and rider, no one knows the ride occurred.
By contrast, Uber uses data science to create a closed-
loop process. In short, it takes an input action (getting
a ride), measures that action, tracks its output and then
sends all of this data back into the system to inform future
actions and planning. Uber’s data work allows it to track
the exact supply and demand in a given area in real-time,
optimize pricing to match that demand and ultimately
make the entire transportation process more efficient.
Uber accomplishes this by hiring a unique blend of
centralized and decentralized operations staff. The
company employs dozens of data scientists at its San
Francisco headquarters, but then hires other staff to run its
operations teams in local markets. These local “hustlers”
get access to Uber’s central data repository but they are
pushed to work autonomously in a hub-and-spoke model.
This not only results in efficient operation but also creative,
tailored approaches to customer acquisition.
Uber’s controversial dynamic pricing — in which ride
pricing fluctuates due to estimated traffic, riding time and
distance and the number of Uber riders at that moment —
is also data-driven. Dynamic pricing essentially hikes ride
prices during demand imbalances, and while it may not
be popular with riders, it results in the following
streamlining measures:
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• More earnings are passed through to drivers
• Drivers are incentivized to work during these periods,
balancing supply and demand
• The entire Uber system is made more efficient,
when it needs to be
Simulation Modeling and Capacity Planning
Simulation modeling and capacity planning are related
industrial engineering disciplines, both of which are crucial
to giant companies that fulfill orders. In short, simulation
modeling involves creating a digital prototype of an object
or process and testing it against real-world conditions,
while capacity planning is the use of analytics to
determine the production capacity needed to meet
changing demand.
A rider uses Uber’s app to hail a car.
Source: Mark Warner / CC BY 2.0
Amazon’s supply chain is a prime use case for capacity
planning. A 2013 study found that Amazon sold 306 items
per second and shipped around 3.3 million packages per
day. As of 2017, the company has 140 fulfillment centers
in the U.S., 35 of which are under construction or planned.
A 2012 talk by Mike Roth, vice president of North American
operations for Amazon, explained how the company uses
capacity planning to fulfill millions of orders as efficiently as
possible. For starters, the company advocates rapid-build
cycles for all of their warehouses to keep up with ever-
increasing demand. Amazon uses automation sparingly,
since highly automated warehouses would take much
longer to complete.
Amazon also carefully forecasts its sales and operating
expenses and uses population density maps overlaid
with their fulfillment centers to project demand growth.
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For maximum efficiency, Amazon does not build their
distribution centers to deal with peak demand, so as not
to waste resources during slower times of the year. During
the holiday season — when demand is more than three
times greater than other points of the year — the company
works with third-party logistics suppliers to fulfill orders,
instead of relying on their own capacity.
Operations Research and Management
Aside from manufacturing, operations research is one
of the oldest aspects related to industrial engineering.
With the rise of massive tech companies employing
tens of thousands of people, operations research and
management is still very relevant today.
Apple Inc. is a prime example. As of 2017, the company
employs 123,000 people worldwide and deals in a diverse
range of products and services. Apple’s dedication to
operations research and management makes it one of the
most efficient companies in the world. A few aspects of the
company’s operations management strategy include:
Process and capacity: Apple works closely with
suppliers throughout their product chains to ensure
efficient processes are in place. Individual suppliers
are given directives for process design, and are also
supplied with the Apple Supplier Code of Conduct to
assist in their HR management.
Locations: Apple limits their seller authorization and
typically places their Apple Stores in urban centers.
Despite this highly selective approach to selling, the
company is among the world’s most profitable.
Inventory management: Apple uses serialized
inventory management to track products. The company
uses the FIFO (first-in, first-out) method to ensure that
older models are sold before new ones are released,
eliminating wasteful production.
Productivity management is also an integral part of Apple’s
operations strategy. The company measures
store productivity by tracking revenue per square foot;
supplier productivity using product units per time; and
product-development employee productivity by milestones
per time period. Due to Apple’s size and product
complexity, it heavily invests in a carefully implemented
operations strategy to minimize costs and waste and
maximize profits.
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The 411 on Submersible Pumps
Submersible Pumps. Source: Fitzmyer
If you use a well for drinking or irrigation or you’ve
needed to remove standing water, you’ve probably
used a submersible pump. Submersible pumps are a
type of centrifugal pump designed to operate while fully
submerged. They are also referred to as sub pumps or
electric submersible pumps (ESPs).
A wide variety of submersible pumps are available for
various applications. Regardless of the pump type, there
are some features they all share. In order to operate, they
must be completely submerged in the pumped media and
the pump motor must be completely sealed.
Submersible Pump Types
Well water pumps are a variation
of well pumps first used in the oil
industry in the 1920s. They are
cylindrical in shape so that they
can easily be lowered down a
well and are typically 3-4 inches
in diameter. Compared to depth
limitations of other types of pumps,
submersible well water pumps can
operate at depths up to 400 feet.
There are two types of potable
water pumps, shallow-well and
Well Pump. Source:
deep-well.
Goulds Water Technology
Dewatering pumps are used to remove standing water in
construction, mining and sump applications. Dewatering
pumps are designed for water or water with light
suspended solids. Sand, sludge and slurry pumps are
heavy-duty pumps designed for the demanding application
of removing large, stringy, fibrous or abrasive solids.
Solids-handling pumps are designed for handling materials
such as mud, raw sewage, viscous liquids, wood chips,
wastewater and other solids. Shredder pumps, also
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referred to as cutter pumps, cut or shear the material
prior to pumping. Submersible pumps for use in oil wells
are typically electrical submersible pumps, driven by
electric power. ESPs are multistage centrifugal pumps
with a three-phase induction motor and a sealed chamber
section. They also have a surface power control system
that supplies electricity to the pump through a power cable.
Operating Principal
In submersible pumps, the sealed motor turns an impeller,
which is enclosed in the pump housing. The pump may
include an intake screen, which filters out anything that
is too large to pump. As the impeller rotates, pressure
pushes the media into the pump inlet and the impeller
accelerates the fluid and forces it into the discharge line. It
is important to keep submersible pumps fully submerged
while operating as they are not designed to work in air. As
the pump is submerged, it eliminates the need for priming
the pump and prevents cavitation.
Submersible pumps should not be confused with jet
pumps, which are also used in well applications. Jet
pumps are centrifugal pumps with a venturi nozzle
attached at the discharge outlet. They operate based on
Bernoulli’s principle, using constriction to reduce pressure
and provide suction. After the pump is primed a motive
fluid is pumped through a standard centrifugal pump and
enters an ejector. At the throat of the converging section of
the ejector the pressurized fluid is ejected at high velocity.
This creates a low pressure (vacuum) at the throat,
drawing the target fluid (from a well or other source) up
into the nozzle.
Submersible pumps should be used for wells with depths
of 25 feet to 400 feet. Shallow well jet pumps should be
used for wells 25 feet or less and deep well jet pumps can
be used for depths between 25 feet and 110 feet.
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