Medical devices are imperative to the diagnosis and treatment of patients. From standard devices such as blood pressure monitors to advanced medical diagnostic technology for niche ailments, medical device design and development has made great strides in assisting medical professionals. But how do medical devices come to be? Follow this guide on the process of designing medical devices to learn more.
Determining Device Requirements
The first step is to determine what requirements the device needs to follow. This includes understanding design constraints, intended performance, safety guidelines, regulatory constraints, usability, and material requirements and costs.
Next, the concept development can begin while keeping all the device requirements in mind. During this defining stage, product design engineers working with cross-functional teams brainstorm ideas and solutions to develop a design concept that will fulfill customers’ needs and meet the product requirements.
Proof of Concept
The next step in medical device design involves putting the plan through a proof-of-concept phase to show that all critical features of the invention are feasible and will function correctly. Design engineers will develop device prototypes to assess performance and address design challenges while evaluating the device’s function. A proof-of-concept prototype intends to prove through testing that the design is feasible from both a technical and business standpoint.
Design Planning
In this step of the medical device design process, the design plan is formally documented following the regulatory requirements. One of the most significant components of this stage is the design inputs stage. Requirements and specifications laid out during the design process must now be documented as user needs and product requirements. These first two phases of design planning define the modes of testing, necessary testing equipment, procedures to follow, and how the medical device will be manufactured.
In the design outputs phase of planning, engineers translate the designs into specifications under design control procedures to create a detailed product. At this point, manufacturing of the device will occur on a small scale to produce multiple devices for testing.
Testing and Design; Verification and Validation
Testing will occur throughout the development process. As changes occur to the prototypes and design, it’ll undergo testing specific to the device’s expectations. This includes design verification and validation, a crucial step in medical device design. Once verification and validation occur, the device will receive regulatory approval for manufacturing and distribution. The process of designing a medical device can be a lengthy one. Through various planning and testing stages, devices can hit the market to provide safe and effective medical treatment.
