Automated Hypodermic Tube Cleaning Device Glaukos: Senior Capstone Project

Glaukos is a medical device company which manufactures devices for glaucoma treatments and operations. Glaukos cleans the hypodermic tubes used in operations when received by the manufacturer. The process of cleaning the tubes is time and labor intensive. The goal was to save time and labor costs associated with tube cleaning. The team set out to develop a device that would automatically wash the tube inner diameter ranging in size from 21-32 gauge. After going through the engineering design process, we identified several designs which could work. The identified design will encompass four subsystems from the point of loading the tubes into a loading tray, movement through a robotic arm, washing through the Tuohy borst hydraulic flushing block (Tbhfb), and draining into a lobed funnel system. The washing subsystem is what we call a Tuohy borst hydraulic flushing block (Tbhfb). The Tbhfb uses compression with an ACME power screw within a stepper motor on a consumable Tuohy borst gasket to create a seal around the hypodermic tube. Upon sealing the tube, the Tbhfb will use peristaltic or diaphragm pumps to transport fluid from a reservoir to the Tbhfb which will have a 30cc void. Once the individual fluids are delivered to the block, air pressure will force the fluid out of the tube after every fluid effectively washing and rinsing the tube. The key performance metrics are time of washing one tube and ensuring cleanliness. The time to wash one tube plus handling time is estimated to be 49 seconds, ensuring cleanliness will be determined by organic compound testing of known clean water output