SANTA MONICA, Calif., Feb. 06, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, the nation’s largest advanced manufacturing event – composed of Automation Technology Expo West (ATX), Medical Design & Manufacturing (MD&M) West,  Pacific Design & Manufacturing (D&M),  PLASTEC West, and  WestPack – announced a diverse catalog of complimentary educational sessions that will be available to the event’s 20,000+ professionals set to convene at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California February 11-13. Categorized within three distinct stages – Center Stage, Design Dome, and Tech Theater – attendees of all show brands will have ample opportunities to supplement their visit with engaging learning opportunities from hands-on activities and workshops to dynamic panel discussions, live demonstrations, and expert speaker presentations. To register as press for the show  please visit:  anaheim.im.informa.com/2020/registrations/Media.

“The advanced manufacturing industry is always evolving. Whether you’re a C-level executive or an early-stage engineer, continuous education is a key component of one’s profession in order to keep up with advances across manufacturing’s sectors,” said Suzanne Deffree, Brand Director, Intelligent Systems & Design, Informa Markets. “In addition to serving as a platform for professionals to meet thousands of innovative suppliers from businesses around the world, we are providing the added value of free educational content to further push the industry forward.”

A combined total of 41 sessions will be offered across the three stages encompassing a large range of topics relevant to all aspects of the industry’s supply chain. For the design engineers that want a hands-on prototyping experience, the Design Dome will host a number of workshops lead by today's top talent from world-renowned design companies. Top sessions include:

The Future of Manufacturing is CoDevelopment
In PCBA manufacturing, the working relationship between engineers and a CM can be transactional at best, or like navigating a storm of challenges at worst. A world where both are connected—from the DFM review, quoting, processing, sourcing and factory operations, through the delivery of finished PCBs—can be a reality. This presentation will focus on bringing insight from manufacturers into every day of the design process. Find out how to create a smooth working relationship with your CM while maximizing the entire development process.

Pitfalls & Opportunity: Laser-Cut Tubes for Delivery Systems That Perform
Got a challenging delivery problem? Catheters, laparoscopes, endoscopes, intramedullary access, and other delivery systems have to perform the near-impossible with impeccable reliability. Laser-cut support structures are meeting the performance and cost challenges across the spectrum from fine hypotubes to large-bore —while carrying a myriad of payloads. The palette of design constraints and degrees of freedom can mean business. Or trouble. Sort out the opportunities from the pitfalls to be found in materials, pattern selection, pattern design process, and the interface with other components.

Medical Doppler Design & Prototyping
There are many challenges and tradeoffs for any Doppler design. Sparton will present an approach to embedded blood flow Doppler design and prototyping as well as the tradeoffs in selecting electronic architectures. Additionally, Sparton will discuss materials and test strategies that can be applied early in design to any medical product for successful verification testing.

For those interested in the latest tech innovations and enjoy learning in an intimate classroom-style setting, the Tech Theater will feature a number of suppliers across the three day event highlighting the market’s most innovative technologies while providing ample opportunity for Q&As. Top sessions include:

Accelerating Medical Device Development
Understanding the phases of the medical device development process (discovery, prototyping, design controls, regulatory approvals, clinical studies, and post-market activities) is the first step in accelerating their development. Leveraging experiences and resources appropriately to stay on the critical path and having the insight on when to exit is paramount. MED Institute has over 35 years' experience developing hundreds of Class II and III medical devices as part of a large medical device company, as a consultant to physicians, and companies of all sizes and corporate structures. This session will detail MED's dedication to providing high quality services to drive development in the current market as well as the company’s collaboration with regulators and thought leaders to help lead future innovation.

Radiation Sterilization – What is the ideal dose range specification for my product?
The use of high-energy ionizing radiation for sterilization purposes is an established and proven method for the inactivation of microorganisms on healthcare, food, and general industrial products. When following industry guidance there are various methods for substantiation of the sterilization dose and establishment of the maximum sterilization dose. What dose range is appropriate for the sterilization of your product? What dose range will provide you with a quick, cost effective, and efficient processing turn time? This presentation will highlight the various options for setting minimum and maximum dose and how that translates into an efficient process. The selection of the proper dose range specification will help ensure a safe, reproducible, and capable process to consistently meet your needs.

Overcome Challenges with Pressure Sensor Integration in Medical Devices
Pressure sensor integration presents interesting challenges at every stage of development. Proof of concept stages are more concerned about size, cost, biocompatibility, and power consumption. Decisions about the choice of sensor, type of measurement, and required accuracy can have a big impact on system cost and schedule. As the design progresses, usability, patient hazards, reliability, and sterilization methods gain importance, usability can have a big impact on catheter deployed sensors in regard to maneuverability and visibility. Towards the later stages, process development and yield improvement become important. Knowledge of the entire process allows a medical device company to achieve the right tradeoff between performance, cost and safety risks that can be afforded by the development schedule. This talk will discuss what device companies should consider when enhancing medical technology with pressure-sensing capabilities.

Kicking off at the top of each hour, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from some of the brightest minds across industries at Center Stage, where top engineers, experts, and thought leaders will come together to discuss the current state of their respective fields providing insights into the latest trends and advances in automation, medtech, packaging, plastics, and more. Top sessions include:

Industry 4.0: Implementation and Research Trends
The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) has resulted in a number of technologies being developed in areas including: information systems, smart materials, robotic systems, smart technologies, and more. The focus of this contribution will highlight the research trends as well as the requirements of successfully implementing some of these technologies in the Medical Design and Manufacturing arena.

Panel: The Power of Partnership to Drive Competitive Advantage in Sustainable Packaging
Startup CPG brands are leading the way when it comes to developing sustainable packaging solutions for their products. By reimagining the nature of business partnerships and collaboration on everything from raw material sourcing, packaging, and consumer education, startups are building new supply chains that drive profits while also conserving resources and minimizing the environmental and social impact of their products. Comprised of CPG startup brands, packaging manufacturers, and sustainability experts, this panel will show you what it takes to make sustainability a competitive advantage with insight direct from the trenches.

Investments at the Convergence of MedTech, Materials, and Automation: 2020 and Beyond