Assembly of Radiation Sources for Gamma Knives
Need
Automated assembly of radioactive radiation sources
Studsvik needed help to automate the assembly, welding, and inspection of medical radiation sources containing Cobalt 60.
The radiation sources are used in a so-called gamma knife sold by Elekta.The knife is used for radiation therapy of tumors, for example. tumörerThe radiation (cobalt 60, gamma radiation) targets tumor cells with high concentration and precision, killing the tumor while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
The requirements were:
- Assembly with very high precision of 1 mm-sized components.
- High reliability and traceability; no component should be lost.
SEJFO and Studsvik had close collaboration in the selection of technology and modification of equipment to enable a process that could handle this extreme environment.
Solution
A compact system with welding robots, vision systems, and advanced measurement technology
The equipment includes:
- Welding of inner sleeve under rotation, Kemppi TIG MLS 3000.
- Height check after welding and photo documentation of the weld.
- Welding of outer sleeve, Kemppi TIG MLS 3000.
- Vision system with four cameras, Halcon vision software. https://www.mvtec.com/products/halcon/
- Three SCARA robots, Epson LS6-602S. https://www.epson.se/sv_SE/robots
- Wipe test for contamination.
- Torque tightening of the lid.
- Mechanical diameter control.
- Vibratory feeder, Afag. http://afag.com
- Activity measurement for radiation.
- Leak test.
- Pallets and fixtures.
Facts
| Customer | Studsvik |
|---|---|
| Production Start | 2021 |
| Industry | Pharmaceuticals and Radioactive Environments |
| Managed Product | Radiation Sources for Gamma Knives |
| Product Size | 1 mm |
| Product Weight | 1 g |
| Cycle Time | 34 hours per batch |
| Serial Number | 161076 |
Result
As a customer, we have found it to be a very rewarding collaboration!
The result was a unique robot cell containing a vision system that is now operational and manufacturing radiation sources in an environment that typically disables equivalent equipment within a few hours.
“As a customer, we have found it to be a very rewarding collaboration! There were no ready-made solutions, so we had to combine our unique competencies and often experiment to find solutions. Sejfo's flexibility, ability to work solution-oriented, and innovative thinking have been crucial. That our joint efforts have led to cancer patients receiving treatment feels absolutely fantastic!”
Johan Palmqvist, Production Manager for Radiation Sources, Studsvik
