| | | Surgical Skin Stapler Australian Surgical Devices was founded to manufacture skin staplers in Australia and distribute them internationally. Existing technology was mature, so competitive products were cheap and reliable; a radical design was required to reduce costs significantly and also improve functionality. The new stapler met the cost goals by halving the parts count of the competition, using simple moulds without moving cores and eliminating ultrasonic welding from the assembly procedure. Assembly ends with a tamper-proof "snap". A PLC driven automatic staple loading machine was also designed in-house to deliver the 35 loose staples into each stapler assembly.
Anticipated sales in Asia and an increase in the number of female skin stapler users meant a reduction in size and operating force were required. Reducing size should increase hand force, because the same work must be done over a smaller distance, but both were reduced by using large radius/small angle rolling bearing, which is now patented. The bearing reduces friction by rolling rather than sliding, but also give a variable mechanical advantage; more to start, when the staple resists bending most, and less at the end. The peak force is halved, but the work done is the same.
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