Components for Dialysis Machines

Components for Dialysis Machines

Medical Engineering

Components for Dialysis Machines: Durable and Precise Sensors and HMI Controls

Manufacturers of dialysis machines must be able to rely on the components of their machines. The devices must work reliably and consistently in order to provide dialysis patients with the treatment they need. The EBE product portfolio includes sensor solutions and HMI components that are characterized by precisely these properties.

Sensor Components for Dialysis Machines: Level Monitoring of all Media Using Non-Contact Sensors

EBE level sensors reliably detect liquid columns in containers made of non-conductive materials. They see through not only the container walls, but also blood, dialysate, heparin and bicarbonate build-ups. The evaluation algorithms developed by EBE can be designed for a wide range of environmental and operating conditions. The technology uses a multi-channel capacitive measurement method. This excites the measuring electrodes in a defined spectral range. With classic capacitive sensors, incorrect measurements can easily occur due to films adhering to the container walls. For EBE technology it is irrelevant how viscous a medium is or how strongly it adheres and conducts. The parasitic effects caused by the coatings are compensated by the EBE algorithms. The level is measured reliably at all times.

Combined Sensors Verify the Placement of Containers and Tanks

The level measurement at the extracorporeal blood circuit is required at various points. Within the tubing system, the level of blood or blood additives must be constantly monitored at the drip chambers. On the device itself, the fill level of the canisters of dialysis water and the cartridge of bicarbonate must be monitored, among other things. Capacitive level sensors, which also have an inductive sensor, are particularly suitable here, as measurement errors caused by incorrectly inserted containers are excluded. This is because level measurement is often a problem for standard capacitive sensors when there are fluctuating gaps of more than two millimeters between the tank and the frame. The actual distance between the sensor surface and the tank surface is measured by the additionally used proximity. A small piece of aluminum is perfectly adequate as a counterpart for the inductive sensor. Based on the individual air gap, the parameters for the capacitive sensor are thus tracked in real time. The coil structure required for the proximity sensor is integrated on the PCB of the capacitive sensor. The existing µ-controller simply assumes the electronic evaluation and calculation.

HMI Components for Dialysis Machines: Easy-to-Sterilize Control Panels

Sterile surfaces are particularly important in the medical field. HMI components from EBE sensors + motion offer a variety of solutions. Classic switches, buttons and rotary encoders can be realized moisture-proof. Sensor-based HMI components are particularly suitable, though. They are utilized beneath the closed surface. Thus, they are not affected by continuous cleaning and disinfection. Sensor-based HMI components are particularly suitable, though. They are utilized beneath the closed surface. Thus, they are not affected by continuous cleaning and disinfection. Nevertheless, even in case of contamination or film coatings the capacitive buttons always work reliably. The sensor buttons can be assigned multiple functions which also saves space on the control panel. Sensor-based rotary encoders combine the advantages of both worlds. They offer the feel of a classic rotary encoder, including haptic feedback. Still, they are utilized beneath a completely closed surface. For this purpose, the elevation for the rotary encoder has to be considered before casting the surface. Thus, the system is completely tight with respect to moisture, dust and other disruptive factors, offering ideal preconditions for a hygienic user interface.

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