Valtronic Segments
Valtronic
Newsletter
Volume VIII Issue 3
Fall 2012
In this Issue
:: Company News
:: Industry News
:: Behind the Scenes
:: Partners
:: Events
:: Tech Talk
Company News

Valtronic USA Moves to New Facility   

 

As previously announced, Valtronic is pleased to announce our official move to a newly renovated 60,000 square foot design, development and manufacturing facility just a short mile and a half from where we resided for twenty three years.
In Progress.

Our new facility and increased space means increased capacity to better serve our Customers growth. Additionally, the expanded space will enable us to fully implement our 5S Manufacturing  system.

Just a few of the new manufacturing additions we believe you will find of importance include:

  

Ready for Test
  • The SMT area has doubled and will give us more capacity and improved efficiency
  • Expanded staging areas will increase throughput and also improved efficiency
  • All products will now have flow based production cells which create increased separation between lines.  
  • IPC-A-610 inspectors assigned to each of these manufacturing work cells ensures quality is attended to at every step of the process
  • The dry room has also doubled in size allowing for increased growth
  • Expanded Clean room will provide increased efficiency and flow and allow for more capacity 
  • Dedicated floor stockroom with capacity for growth  

 Valtronic Switzerland Celebrates 30 Years  

 
Valtronic recently celebrated its 30th anniversary and the inauguration of its new building dedicated to orthopedics and precision mechanics, which opened its doors in July after moving its machining centers which were located 15km from the headquarters.


In the presence of Dr. Peter Ruppersberg Valtronic's CEO since early 2010, local authorities and company founder George Rochat, Valtronic employees and their families, spent a pleasant day at a barbecue friendly event in the sunny Vallée de Joux.


Georges Rochat, considered as a pioneer in everything he undertook, shared his experiences and anecdotes on Valtronic's direction speaking from his 28 years' experience with the company, earning him a standing ovation from the staff. The talk of special guest speaker Mr. Frédéric Neftel, CEO of the Swiss company Debiotech, regarding future manufacturing for the medical sector in Switzerland suggests good days ahead for Valtronic, as both development and health expenditures have risen sharply in recent years and show strong future growth.

 

Valtronic also debuted the new 1600 m2 "Orthopedic", building offering two separate manufacturing areas (industrial and medical) and new services such as finishing. The day ended with the honoring of eight employees who have been with the company since its inception in 1982. Representing various skills, they have been with Valtronic through many changes and growth and continued to develop as employees along the way. Undeniably, they are considered pillars of the company and hold vivid memories of all projects and past experiences.  30 years of existence for a company represents a great adventure, marked by great experiences, new directions and developments.   

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Valtronic Receives 2012 Best of Cleveland Award  

 

NEW YORK, NY, September 5, 2012 -- For the third consecutive year, Valtronic USA. has been selected for the 2012 Best of Cleveland Award in the Electronic Manufacturing category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

 

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

  

Nationwide, only 1 in 120 (less than 1%) 2012 Award recipients qualified as Three-Time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2012 USCA Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

 

Industry News

Silicon circuits that dissolve when wet, made for smart medical implants
 
A silk covering controls how long the electronics stay in the body.
 
Consider what the future might be for silicon circuits in medical and environmental applications or even consumer products some day.  Learn about the latest research and visit our Facebook page and let us know what you think
   

Behind the Scenes   

  

Meet Volker Doetzkirchner   

Product Manager serv
icing customers in the Precision  Design and Manufacturing Technology Center.
 

What is the most important part of your job?     

  • To keep all parties in the information loop
  • To clearly define all project specifications
  • To keep the deadlines confirmed with the customers
  • To follow-up with suppliers
  • To control the cost and the profit

What do you enjoy most about what you do?  

  • The variety of duties and tasks in the different projects
  • Getting to know many people
  • International traveling
  • Every day learning

What is a typical day like for you?

    

I am currently working on managing a new customer and I am working with four different locations on a daily basis.

 

My daily tasks are project management, including communication needs and expectations of internal and external stakeholders to meet objectives and to deliver the quality expected in a timely manner. 

 

What is your background and how did you enter this field?     

 

I was an apprentice in a ship training program and worked as a precision mechanic in toolmaking.   Following that I started my studies as precision mechanic. 

 

I then joined AESCULAP in Germany and worked for 6 years as a development engineer for optical systems.   Following I went to their Malaysian plant and worked for 6 years as Technical Director for the Production of Surgical Instruments. I then moved to Spain and took over the post of Managing Director for surgical instrument production in MUTRIKU.

 

In 2009 I joined Geisert Square as a Partner for R&D in the orthopedic field.


What is the most important lesson you have learned in your career?
 

 

  • Never underestimate a project
  • Never judge people according to their appearance

Lastly, what do you look forward to doing that is not work related?


I would like to create my own project to help people in the "third world."

Partners  


Joining Forces with INEMI

The International Electronic Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) is a non-profit organization who creates work groups with Electronic Manufacturers and Institutional collaborators. These groups are led by an iNEMI employee and take advantage of the up-to-date experience and expertise of professionals active in the electronics industry. The various projects are as broad as roadmap development, survey setup and analysis, or experimental developments. The working team then decides to what level results are made public.

 

Valtronic has been involved in survey set-up and is currently active in the upcoming 2013 roadmap as well as a survey on the standards for the reliability of implantable electronics. Valtronic's participation in iNEMI's activities is managed by the Swiss Head of Technology and allows fruitful interactions with other electronics players around the world such as OEM, EMS, regulatory bodies and research institutions.  

 

Valtronic's membership to iNEMI is not only profitable to the company but also to our customers (among those some are also members) as it helps keep Valtronic ahead of the curve as an electronic manufacturer. New projects are yet to come and once public, the results will be referenced in the newsletter.


Events

Tradeshows

  

USA

  

BMES  

Biomedical Engineering Society Meeting 

October 24- 27, 2012

          

The BMES Meeting focuses on Integrating Academics and Industry from Discovery to Implementation.    Visit Valtronic in Booth 501 at the Georgia World Congress Center in  Atlanta Georgia October 24- 27, 2012.      

Learn more about our expansion in our new building in the US and challenge yourself  to see if you can solve our Puzzle to win a prize  Visit BMES for additional information.

 

   

   

October 31 - November 1, 2012 

 

Visit Valtronic in Booth 958 at MD&M Minneapolis at the Minneapolis Convention Center.  Minneapolis is home to leading Medical Device Companies such as Medtronic, St. Jude and the Mayo Clinic.  MD&M Minneapolis brings together industry leaders, education and offers networking opportunities. 


Learn about our new building and take part in our Engineering Challenge.  Learn more and register for MD&M Minneapolis.  

 

Europe  

 

Compamed

Conference
& Exhibition 

 

 November 14-16, 2012 

 

 

 

Visit Valtronic in Hall 8B Booth J09 at COMPAMED in Düsseldorf Germany from November 14-16.   Learn about our new Orthopaedic Building and our expanded capabilities.     

Also as part of the DeviceMed Forum, Timothy Cline, CMO of Valtronic, will give a talk on "The Evolution of  the Supply Chain in Medical Electronics Manufacturing."  


COMPAMED is an international show for medical suppliers.  COMPAMED takes place in connection with MEDICA, offering access to the complete process chain for medical products.    For more information visit COMPAMED.   

Tech Talk  

 

Miniaturized Electronics and Smart Implants

For 30 years Valtronic has been providing miniaturized electronic solutions.  One area that greatly benefits from this are Smart Implants, an implant that is able to provide in-vivo diagnostic biofeedback and/or treat a patient according to specific conditions.   

 

Take a look at some of the projects on which we have partnered:

 

Intraocular Pressure Sensing   

Used to treat glaucoma.  It allows ophthalmologists to observe the behavior of intraocular pressure continuously, particularly during sleep.

 

Valtronic Role: Built-in flexible electronics, silicone, ultrasonic flip-chip process and clean manufacturing

  • Existing ASIC; Sensor & RF
  • MEM's technology substrate
  • Extreme fit to implant form factor
  • Fit with the dimensions order of magnitude
  • Ultra-low power; short distance communication

Wireless Motility Capsule

Ingestible device using sensor technology to measure pH, pressure and temperature in the GI tract.   ElectronicPill

   

Valtronic's Role 

  •   0201 SMT Parts with Flex and Rigid Circuitry measuring 3.82 cm x .75 cm
  • 2 batteries & pH Sensor attached

Retinal Implant  

Helping people who have lost their vision from retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration to regain some sight.  

Valtronic's Role
  • .002 inch PCB
  • Two flex boards stud bumped together using flip-chip
  • All components glued to IC.
  • Fully biocompatible in the retina
  • Stimulates nerves in retina with electrical signal which allows person to recognize transmitted data

Cochlear Implant

Allows the deaf to hear 

 

Valtronic's Role  

  • External& Internal devices
  • Bonded
  • Flex-Rigid with injection molding
  • Multiple Generations 

Gastric Band  

Adjustable gastric band to help control obesity 

 

Valtronic's Role 

Combined micro-electronics and micro-mechanics with power and RF transmission

 Gastic Band