S u c c e S S S t o r y

Where L ittLe DetaiLs Make a B ig D ifference

the anspach effort, inc.

The Anspach Effort, Inc. has a straightforward mission statement when it comes to designing and building its high-speed surgical instruments: “Provide products and services to every customer in such a memorable way, that the customer tells someone how great is was.”

Word of mouth gets around. Anspach’s pneumatic drill systems are involved in critical life-saving operations and have been well recognized by both the industry and the public at large. Last year, Anspach won the South Florida Manufacturers Association (SFMA) ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ award for its category, and its instruments have been featured on TV’s medical dramas Hopkins and Grey’s Anatomy, as well as in a surgical scene in the recent X Files movie.

Anspach instruments for bone dissection, operating at 80,000 rpm, spin multiple styles of attachments. In this field of medical technology, the object of innovation is in the tiny details -- to try and direct more and more power through smaller and smaller mechanics.

“The biggest engineering challenge for us is continuing to make everything smaller and better,” says Senior Design Engineer Jeff Enck. “We are faced with issues like reducing the size of components while trying to make them more robust.”

Enck and his team design new products in SolidWorks, which Enck says gives them several advantages to bring Anspach into the next generation of drill capabilities. SolidWorks Simulation tools, for instance, give them the finite element analysis metrics needed to shrink things down.

“Originally, we came along the traditional design route, where we designed it and dealt with the issues that arose in testing. If a piece started to break, we would go back to the CAD model to make changes. With SolidWorks Simulation, we now have the ability to be more proactive,” Enck explains. “We can predict what kind of stresses we would see in a physical model and what changes are required in the design to fix the problem. If we anticipate what will happen to the product, we can start looking at these issues well before releasing a design to the shop and making prototypes.”

Anspach, surgical drill manufacturer, scrutinizes

its micro-mechanics in SolidWorks

S u c c e S S S t o r y

“Within SolidWorks, we can experiment. Can we get smaller bearings in there if the wall thickness is reduced? If we reduce the wall thickness, does it weaken the device? We can then do an analysis on material strength to see if we need to find a stronger, better substitute material.”

Ensuring that the smallest of details stand up to high speeds and prolonged wear, the Anspach team makes many rounds of physical prototypes in addition to its Simulation analyses. SolidWorks proves to be a timesaver in this area as well, whether Enck sends data to plastic molders, machinists, or sheet metal fabricators.

“The molders and fabricators don’t have to necessarily spend a lot of time setting up the machine as they would from a drawing. We simply export the database from SolidWorks and they can program it directly to the machine which shortens the amount of time it takes to get a prototype.”

“SolidWorks also helps us when we create custom tools for surgeons. It allows us to take existing designs and modify them quickly to match the doctor’s specific requirements. From there, we export to a model shop or outside vendor. This allows us very quick turnarounds on custom jobs.”

For nearly a decade, Anspach has relied on the team at The SolidExperts to provide its primary engineering platform, along with immediate modeling advice and software training from the state’s most experienced SolidWorks professionals.

“The SolidExperts have been great to work with and responsive to any questions. They address them as quickly as we need,” says Enck. “All of our engineers and technicians have taken the introduction and advanced classes from The SolidExperts. We obviously want to keep up with changes as the tools are updated. Some team members have gone beyond that to study surfacing or take the full course to become a Certified SolidWorks Professional (CSWP). They come back and spread the wealth of knowledge around the company.”

Attention to the details has lead Anspach to receive great interest regarding their product design and development. Leveraging all the details of its engineering tools continues to further their mission of quality in life-saving products.

“With SolidWorks Simulation, we now have the ability to be more proactive. We can predict what kind of stresses we would see in a physical model and what changes are required in the design to fix the problem. If we anticipate what will happen to the product, we can start looking at these issues well before releasing a design to the shop and making prototypes.”

Jeff Enck, Senior Design Engineer

2005 W. Cypress Creek Road Suite 105 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 • 954-772-1903