Customer breathes a little easier with supplier expertise
By Staff -- Purchasing, 11/19/1998
According to Aradigm Corporation, there is evidence that over 70% of patients who use press-and-breathe inhalers frequently use them incorrectly. That's a big problem, since people use inhalers to mete out their own medical service. Aradigm looked at this as a chance to deliver a product that alleviates this problem. The key was to line up suppliers that could support the new product.The product Aradigm developed was SmartMist. There are other products that assist in the delivery of medication, but none combines the same three features that SmartMist does, according to its producer. The product offers drug delivery, peak flow monitoring, and compliance monitoring. This means that all materials must meet specific and demanding performance standards.
To ensure that it could use plastic that withstands high stress, Aradigm decided it had to select a supplier with enough breadth of technology to satisfy these tough requirements. The customer turned to supplier Phillips Plastics. Ultimately, four business units at Phillips worked with Aradigm on this portion of the design.
The business units at Phillips helped determine what plastic was moldable, says Diane Jachinowski, director of product development, Respiratory Products at Aradigm. For instance, one business unit built two prototype tools for a chassis and MDI latch to endure the high stress that the product experiences over the course of its life.
Another Phillips business unit that specializes in lower-volume production offers 18 plastic parts. That enables the supplier to become more familiar with Aradigm's design needs. The supplier can then offer suggestions to improve performance or cut costs.
For Aradigm's metal needs, the company had to do a little footwork. The company looked at several manufacturing options, but found that there was too much cost associated with machining or fabricating parts. In addition, the company had specific hardness and wear-resistance requirements for its metals.
After visiting and interviewing several metal injection molders, Aradigm settled on Powder Metal Molding. The metal injection molder meets the overall size and capacity considerations, offers competitive technology, and qualified personnel. Based on these features, the supplier was able to offer design suggestions and meet requirements.
For instance, Powder Metal Molding reduced parts from a range of 7-10 to just three. The supplier also uses commercial feedstock, reducing the uncertainties that accompany some supplier's own materials. Finally, the supplier's metallurgists helped Aradigm find an appropriate iron-nickel-steel alloy from a selection of materials.
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