Innovation Starts with Ideation
Ideation - Creative Process
To find the best design and create the optimal solution, it is of utmost importance to fully understand the challenge at hand. IDT works very closely with surgeon champions and/or the clinical team to truly understand the challenges they face and what the optimal solution would look like for them.
The next steps in IDT’s development process are ideation and innovation. This is where we use the fully defined project challenge to create as many probable and improbable design solutions as possible. All ideas that are on the table or on the whiteboard are then considered to determine which idea or combination of ideas looks most promising.
IDT’s engineers work extensively with various rapid prototyping techniques, which allows us to create several design ideas in rapid succession during a time when ‘experimentation’ is less costly (see IDT’s Approach). Prototyping technique, material selection and use of off-the-shelf components are dependent on the prototype’s purpose.
While finding a quick solution is often the primary focus of solving a challenge, IDT’s ideation and innovation process, coupled with rapid prototyping of multiple design ideas, creates a powerful dynamic synergy. This dynamic synergy allows us to quickly create and evaluate many different designs, which eventually leads to the optimum solution that provides the greatest value to our clients.
Once several of the top conceptual ideas have been identified, several reviews are suggested:
- Review and learn from the literature
- Review and understand what the current market looks like
- Review the prior art to better navigate the patent field
To learn more, visit our Background & Review page.
INITIAL DESIGN STAGE - ENGINEERING DESIGN (Pre-Production Stage)
Once the selected designs have further proven to be valid solutions to the challenge at hand, the design ideas must now be reviewed based on strength and manufacturability. This includes:
- Design analysis for strength (see Analysis & Inspection)
- Plan and review for manufacturability
- Print review including geometric tolerancing and dimensioning
During these steps, IDT also ensures the design meets the client’s goals for the project and any required design features, which might have been added since the project kickoff.
A final review is conducted with the client’s engineering team or clinical advisory team in either a dry-lab or cadaver lab. This is necessary to ensure all design goals, constraints and requirements have been met.
Final Design Stage -
DESIGN FOR PRODUCTION AND TESTING
Once the ideation and design processes have been completed and final technical prints are available, a small quantity of production quality parts is produced for final testing, which might be necessary for regulatory approval.
IDT can support first article inspection (FAI) and inspection for failure modes (IFM) of tested parts.
Furthermore, IDT can help to identify the appropriate testing facilities and also support the regulatory submission process.
IDT’s Core Design Capabilities
CAD MODELING IN THE 3D VIRTUAL SPACE
- This includes the use of the device in a simulated environment-of-use, for example spinal fixation devices in a virtual spine.
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS (FEA)
Linear analyses
Non-linear analyses:
- Non-linear material properties
- Large deformations
- Complex contact conditions
- Strain-hardening
Macroscopic USB camera (200x)
Inspection equipment/gauges
Electronic force/torque gauges
ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES
- Inspection of failure modes
- Inspection of first articles
- Comprehensive testing support
- Comprehensive regulatory support
- Literature review
- Patent review
- Market review
MACHINING SERVICES
- Rapid prototyping (plastic)
- In-house delivery in days
- Rapid prototyping (metals)
- External, delivery in days
- Small production runs
- Local CLE, U.S. and worldwide
- Regular production runs
- Local CLE, U.S. and worldwide