Posted on 09/06/2022 at 08:00 amViewed 334 times
Industries of all kinds have found that aluminum is a much more effective material in a variety of applications—including medical. Hospitals and other medical facilities have quickly adopted T-slot connectors as an effective and efficient way to build strong, durable, and corrosion-resistant equipment. Here are some of the most common medical applications that use aluminum profiles.
Structures and Equipment
At the most basic level, aluminum extrusions have done wonders for improving basic equipment like gurneys and IV stands. Aluminum has an incredible strength-to-weight ratio, ensuring your equipment remains durable and effective while being a fraction of the weight it would normally be. This makes it easier to transport patients and equipment without compromising the equipment’s efficacy. Furthermore, aluminum is naturally corrosion resistant, lessening the chance of equipment rusting and increasing the time frame for replacements.
T-slot extrusions are designed to make construction quick and efficient. This allows medical facilities to quickly provide new beds and equipment to keep up with an influx of patients. These extrusions are incredibly versatile and easier to shape and create than steel, ensuring that aluminum extrusions are readily available for any facility.
Patient Repositioners
A more specific but just as common medical application of aluminum profiles is patient repositioners. At first glance, this may seem like a rather mundane application to focus on, but it’s an incredibly salient example of how aluminum innovates modern technology. These repositioners make it easier to adjust a patient’s bed for their comfort with just the touch of a button. To accomplish this, an aluminum frame can handle 600 lb. of torsion while remaining small enough to fit under the mattress. This is significant because aluminum’s malleability gives it the advantage of committing to such a size. Normal steel materials are not as capable of shaping and couldn’t manage to be as compact as aluminum extrusions.
Radiation Oncology Equipment
A more specialized application for aluminum extrusions is radiation oncology equipment. Steel connectors often failed, making radiation oncology machines too unreliable. Thankfully, aluminum made an ideal substitute that improved the design of radiation oncology equipment worldwide. Aluminum extrusions are far more resistant to radiation and have even been able to optimize the designs of the equipment, making it stronger and more durable than ever before. As a result, the necessary machinery became much more efficient to construct and cut expenses significantly, thanks to how easy it is to recycle aluminum.
