Dialyzer Cover Torque Measurement

Our client's needs

The kidneys are vital organs that remove waste products from the blood. However, certain diseases can lead to kidney failure: the kidneys are then no longer able to remove waste properly, the body becomes gradually poisoned, and the resulting damage may be irreversible.

To compensate for impaired kidney function, a treatment called “dialysis” can be performed. It uses filtration through an artificial membrane to remove waste products and toxins from the blood. This artificial membrane is contained within a tube sealed with a cap. Medical staff can insert a cannula into the tube to allow fluids to pass through. The cap into which the cannula is inserted must be easy to unscrew in order to facilitate and speed up patient care.

Our client, a major medical company, sought to measure the torque required to unscrew the caps on dialyzers in order to better control the manufacturing process.

Andilog solution

To meet our client's needs, we proposed a torque meter equipped with a Centor Star Touch TH handle sensor and developed a chuck custom-made to accommodate the dialyser connector. Our client wanted to read and save the data directly to their computer using our Caligraph data acquisition and report generation software.

Protocol Description

After securing the handle of the TH torque sensor in a vise, the procedure for measuring torque on the dialyzer cover is as follows:

    Insert the dialyzer connector and its cap into the TH chuck
    Click “Start” in the Caligraph software to begin data acquisition
    Unscrew the dialyzer cap completely
    Stop data acquisition
    Remove the connector and insert a new one to perform additional tests

Measurement data and graphs are automatically saved in Caligraph. You can place markers on the graphs, analyze the results of previously selected calculations, compare multiple graphs, add comments to them, and export all the data to Excel or to customizable reports (PDF, Word, etc.).

The reasons why this system was chosen 

The Centor Star TH 6 Nm torque meter selected for this project enables simple and accurate torque measurement of small components. Its handheld sensor can be used for manual measurement or mounted on a stand or vise for more repeatable results.

The standard chuck is suitable for samples up to 10 mm in diameter, and, as is the case for our client, we can also design custom chucks and adapters.

The Caligraph software is a powerful measurement tool that allows users to record data points on the curve at a frequency of 1,000 Hz and perform a wide range of pre-programmed complex calculations. It enables the creation of customized reports for better tracking of force and torque tests.
 

Other Options

The Dual version of the Centor Touch can also be equipped with an angle sensor that replaces the protractor. The display thus acquires torque and angle values in real time with a resolution of 0.1°. These torque data, plotted against the angle of rotation, can be recorded in our Caligraph software for archiving or for a very detailed analysis of the results.