Visicon is the only company specifically dedicated to the task of stent inspection. Rather than simply function as a supplier of equipment, we are hopeful we can form a more valuable relationship with your organization by providing you with the means to:

  1. Shorten your time to implement new designs or process improvements with complete and highly accurate inspection data.
  2. Improve your production process through improved process control data, and reduce your overall cost to inspect on a per stent basis while improving reliability and confidence through automation.
1. 6000 or 8000 pixel line scan camera based system capable of measuring stents strictly at Top Dead Center (TDC). Stent measurement accuracy +/-0.0001".
2. Inspection throughput of 10 to 30 seconds for any stent up to 30mm or less. Stents greater than 30mm in length will require multiple scans for each 30mm of stent length Dedicated stent fixturing system with sapphire mandrels. System capable of handling stents from 7.5mm to 100mm in length and 0.75mm to 12.7mm in diameter.
3. Illumination system capable of providing appropriate illumination for dimensional measurement.
4. Precision x,y,z,r staging system. Rotational accuracy +/- 0.008 degrees bidirectional. Rotational resolution 0.001 degrees. Linear accuracy +/-0.00010". Linear resolution +/-0.000010".
5. Windows XP based user interface. Programming will be accomplished in a graphical environment by positioning edge tools on a series of patterns that repeat throughout the stent. System will be taught a given starting pattern and will number all successive patterns and will number all edge width measurements within each pattern so the location of a given defect can be identified. The operator will define a set of patterns by banding an area with the mouse and naming the pattern. Once named, the operator will define where measurements are to be made on the pattern with a point and click mouse feature.
6. The system will report either all measurement results, or just failed measurements selectively on the monitor, to a printer and/or to a file record at the choice of the operator.
7. Appropriate documentation will be supplied for validation purposes. The system will include a users manual, system configuration drawings, and an NIST traceable calibration certificate.

The FineScan™ will measure virtually any number of dimensional characteristics in 15 to 30 seconds for a typical stent. The only required operator action is loading and unloading of the stent. System programming is based on matching repetitious patterns and can be accomplished in about 30 min.

The system can measure wall thickness using a fully automatic contact method.

Using an advanced pattern recognition technique the system can inspect for clinically significant and gross cosmetic defects.

The FineScan™ includes full SPC data reporting capability for in-process monitoring. The data can also be reported in a spreadsheet like interactive "grid." When the operator double clicks in the grid on a particular measurement, the image automatically displays the portion of the stent where that measurement was taken.

The FineScan™ Stent Inspection System utilizes a 6000-pixel line scan camera to generate a flat, unrolled view of the stent.  In operation the stent is mounted on a sapphire mandrel with a fine diffuse surface.  This mandrel is held under the linear array camera and rotated by the system electronics and is used to trigger the linear array camera to collect a line of image data in a precise line-by-line manner.  After a complete revolution an entire image of the stent is acquired.

Once this image is acquired, the FineScan™ software uses pattern recognition to find within the image each of the previously trained patterns that comprise the stent form.  Attached to each pattern are measurement tools that can measure the width of the stent features.  The measured features are stored in a Microsoft Access Database format and are transferred to the company database.  Operators can review the defects on the screen.  Inspected patterns that deviate from known good patterns are flagged as possible cosmetic or visual defects.

The system also accepts data from other inspection devices via the RS232 communications. For example a precision analytical balance can be interfaced to add weight of each stent inspected. The system can measure stent wall thickness by the use of two opposing linear transducers. The contact tip on one of the transducers is flat and fairly large at 0.125" diameter. The other tip is conical to 0.005" diameter.  While the flat-tipped transducer provides a reference position, the conical tip transducer can contact first the mandrel and secondly the stent wall to obtain wall thickness measurements as the difference between the two readings.

The FineScan™ software is unique in its ability to define features as patterns and search for them within the image. Measurement and defect analysis tools can be attached to these patterns for full inspection routines. CAD drawings can be used to generate programs.

Our dimensional metrology suite provides full geometric tolerance functions such as max material condition tolerances, straightness, circularity, etc. A series of scans can be made on one part at a variety of depths to accommodate large changes in height of part features. Also, a laser can be incorporated into the system to measure heights.
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