Ethicon, Gmbh

Irwin J Shiffer

David D Demarest

Anthony Esteves

Michael G Hodulik

Teresa M Shaw

The present invention includes processes for making fibers, which processes include an extrusion step wherein molten polymers are extruded through an extrusion die, thereby forming at least one extruded filament; and an orientation step, wherein the filament is drawn to align the molecules of the filament, and wherein multivariate data analysis techniques are used to analyze data regarding various process variables and, optionally, process variables are adjusted in response to the multivariate data analysis.

Method for making extruded, oriented fiber

Procedures for adjusting or reseting the pressure used to swage needles to suture at a needle swaging station. The forces required to break the sutures from the needles are measured and added to a data base; and each time a value, or sample, is added to that data base, an average of all the sample values in the data base is calculated. Each time an average value is calculated, that value is compared to a first range, referred to as a reject range. If any calculated average value falls outside that reject range, then the swaging pressure is adjusted and the procedure is restarted, with a new, or empty, data base. Also, once the sample reaches a given size, such as eight or nine samples, the calculated average values are also compared to a second range, referred to as an accept range, and which is within and narrower than the reject range. If a calculate average value is within this accept range, the swaging pressure is considered acceptable and the procedure terminates immediately.

Growing community of inventors

Belle Mead, NJ, United States of America

Irwin J Shiffer