Customer voice: delivering swiftly to medical device manufacturers – the surgical robotics use case

“The Fischer team delivered a custom IEC 60601-1, MOPP/MOOP-compliant solution in just nine months for our orthopedic surgical robot – a timeline rarely achieved in our industry – backed by outstanding support from prototype to market launch.” – Reported by Olivier Laville, France Sales Manager

That kind of feedback doesn’t come easily in medical device manufacturing. Compliance, safety and speed rarely move together in an industry where every connector must meet exacting patient- and operator-protection standards. When they do, it’s worth looking at how.

A robot built for precision, powered by custom connectivity

The customer based in France was developing an orthopedic surgical robot for knee operations. The robot needed to power and interface a bone saw, connect the robotic arm to its control station, and supply power to both the station and the foot pedal used by the surgeon during the procedure.

None of this could rely on off-the-shelf connectors. Each interface had its own constraints: some had to be compact enough to fit within a handheld surgical instrument, others had to withstand the mechanical demands of a robotic arm in motion, and all of them had to meet IEC 60601-1 requirements for patient and operator protection (MOPP/MOOP).

Fischer Connectors’ technical team worked with the customer to develop several sealed Core Series receptacles and angled plugs, purpose-built for the robot’s bone saw, station interface and foot pedal power supply.

Two things the customer valued most

Looking back on the project, our Sales Manager Olivier Laville reported that the customer highlighted two reasons for their satisfaction.

The first was technical expertise. Fischer’s team was highly responsive and consultative throughout, guiding the customer through multiple solution options and developing customized designs to ensure compliance with IEC 60601-1 requirements for patient and operator protection.

The second was responsiveness across the entire product development lifecycle, delivered within an extremely tight timeline. Fischer supported the project from prototyping, testing, validation and qualification through industrialization and commercialization – and delivered fully customized products in just nine months, an exceptionally fast timeline rarely seen in the industry.

The real story here is that tight timeline: working within the client’s demanding schedule while still meeting every regulatory and design requirement, from the first prototype to market launch.

Why medical device manufacturers trust Fischer Connectors

This project reflects an approach Fischer Connectors has refined over 70 years of experience and know-how in high-performance connectivity.

Fischer develops and manufactures connectors, cable assemblies and electronic solutions that meet customers’ specific needs for data and power transfer, while complying with the stringent requirements of medical devices.

The medical industry is one of the most highly regulated sectors in the world, and Fischer builds compliance into every design. Fischer Connectors’ organization and manufacturing is certified to ISO 13485:2016, ensuring products are safe and reliable for integration into medical devices.

That foundation is matched by broad design expertise. Fischer engineers work closely with customers’ technical teams to optimize the form, fit and function of end-to-end connectivity solutions, drawing on capabilities such as:

• Custom design in brass, stainless steel, plastic or PEEK, with custom color coding and locking mechanisms, miniature and lightweight builds, ergonomic housings, hybrid fluidic/optical/electrical connectivity, and robust double-shielded designs.
• Silicone overmolding, delivering friction-free, watertight (IP68), thermally insulating, autoclavable coatings that stay flexible for surgeons to handle.
• Signal integrity optimization, including high-speed multiprotocol data transfer, minimized noise and signal distortion, controlled cable assembly for impedance matching, and minimized near-end/far-end crosstalk (NEXT/FEXT).

Fischer Connectors’ reputation for reliability rests on the same rigor applied to safety and durability.

Connectors are designed with ESD protection, MOPP/MOOP compliance and test-finger standard compliance, along with proper air clearance and creepage distances, as well as insulation barriers and insulated contacts.

On durability, Fischer solutions are proven for 500 sterilization cycles and resist autoclave, Cidex, EtO, gamma radiation, Steris® and Sterrad® processes, including high-pressure hydrogen peroxide vapor sterilization.

For manufacturers pushing toward smaller, lighter and more mobile devices, Fischer Connectors’ hybrid solutions combine data, power and even gas or fluids within a single high-density connector.

Our spectrum of medical applications

Fischer Connectors is recognized as an essential partner across the medical device industry, supplying high-reliability interconnect solutions that help protect and save lives across several domains:

• Diagnostic & imaging – Dependable, high-speed connectivity for accurate imaging and diagnostics, such as endoscopy, laparoscopy, EEG, MRI and CT scanners, or medical ultrasound. Reusable endoscopes need hermetically sealed connectors to protect electronics through cleaning, disinfection and reprocessing – which is why Fischer recommends durable connectors with metal shells and silicone-overmolded cables, built to withstand between 250 and 1,000 reprocessing cycles – Fischer connectors withstand extreme sterilization with more than 5,000 mating cycles.

• Monitoring – Reliable, straightforward connectivity for vital patient information, critical care and rescue operations, such as Getinge’s mobile heart-lung support system Cardiohelp – a mobile heart-lung support system that’s easy to use and quick to set up across cardiac surgery, cardiology, intensive care and emergency medicine. Getinge selected Fischer Core connectors for their durability, high-quality mating, reliable signal transmission and user-friendliness, along with the ease of cleaning and resistance to harsh cleaning agents the application demands.

• Interventional & surgical – Secure, durable connectivity for high-precision devices in robot-assisted and dental surgery, shaver systems, power consoles and powered instrument drivers. Fischer’s medical connectors are built to withstand the demands of surgical use, with hermetic sealing, high mating cycles, and resistance to harsh cleaning agents and sterilization, all while preserving signal integrity for reliable data transmission. Flexible design ensures seamless integration into the device itself.

• Therapeutic – Durable, reliable connectivity for therapeutic devices, particularly shock-wave medical applications, where connectors must withstand demanding conditions including shock and vibration. Fischer connectors deliver reliable signal transmission and secure mating, keeping the shock-wave machine running without disruption or malfunction.

The orthopedic surgical robot project is one example among many – proof that when precision, compliance and speed all matter at once, Fischer Connectors’ technical teams are built to deliver on all three.