NanoEcho Builds Quality Medical Devices Faster Using SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE® Works

NanoEcho is developing new technology for a rectal cancer diagnostic device with higher precision, making it possible to customize treatment for each individual. The imaging technology is based on a new diagnostic method called magnetomotive ultrasound, which combines magnetism with nanotechnology and ultrasound technology. Iron oxide nanoparticles are put in motion by a magnet within the device. They are used as the contrast agent with ultrasound technology to show whether cancer has spread to the rectal lymph nodes or not, an important marker of how far cancer has progressed.

The NanoEcho images are intended to facilitate the differentiation between diseased and healthy tissue and, at the same time, determine the location of the cancerous tissue more precisely. The goal is to provide a more accurate and cost-effective diagnosis of cancerous diseases. With more precise diagnostics, doctors receive better guidance as they create more individualized treatment plans for improving patient quality of life after treatment, increasing survival and reducing treatment costs.

Part of the NanoEcho business strategy is being first to market despite the regulatory hurdles inherent in developing and commercializing medical products. To achieve its ambitious goals and facilitate production, the company uses SOLIDWORKS® design and SOLIDWORKS CAM software.

According to Lead Hardware Engineer Daniel Skagmo, the company implemented SOLIDWORKS because it needed powerful development tools that could efficiently produce high-quality products. By late 2021, NanoEcho had learned from SolidEngineer AB, its SOLIDWORKS reseller, about connecting SOLIDWORKS to 3DEXPERIENCE® Works on the cloud.

The 3DEXPERIENCE platform connects a company’s ecosystem in a single environment where collaboration becomes second nature. By connecting its SOLIDWORKS product development data to the cloud with solutions from the 3DEXPERIENCE Works portfolio, NanoEcho is further accelerating development and, ultimately, time to market while meeting document control regulatory requirements for medical devices. “The combination of SOLIDWORKS and the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform gives us a high-performing and stable environment for developing our product,” Skagmo notes.

Saving Time and Money

NanoEcho saves a lot of time and money because it doesn’t have to employ a PDM administrator to manage data, purchase a server, or maintain data and hardware as necessary with a traditional PDM system. “Data management on the cloud-based 3DEXPERIENCE platform is easy to set up and maintain while still providing high performance,” Skagmo stresses.

“The 3DEXPERIENCE platform’s integration with SOLIDWORKS helps with controlling revisions of parts and assemblies,” Skagmo adds. “This is a key capability to help us meet the regulatory demands of developing medical devices.” Since adding 3DEXPERIENCE Works solutions to the SOLIDWORKS installation, NanoEcho management can easily invite all team members, along with external manufacturing partners, to various virtual meetings, including design reviews, status updates, and even impromptu collaborative gatherings.

By leveraging the combination of SOLIDWORKS and 3DEXPERIENCE Works solutions, NanoEcho has saved time and money with cloud-based data management, innovated its diagnostic medical device while efficiently satisfying revision control regulatory requirements, and accelerated time to market.