Applied Technical Services performs ventilator component cleanliness testing to assure that this life-saving equipment meets applicable safety standards. Ventilators help patients who would be otherwise unable to get enough oxygen to breathe. Although intended to deliver a steady supply of clean air into the patient’s lungs, contaminated ventilator components can impact the ventilator performance, and introduce foreign material into the patient that cause a range of dangerous illnesses. Medical care facilities – especially those that see wide ventilator use, such as intensive care wings and nursing homes – bear a responsibility to uphold the safety of their patients by cleaning the components effectively. Ventilator manufacturers similarly fulfill strict quality and safety regulations by ensuring all components are free from any contamination incurred through the production process. ATS helps keep ventilator components contamination-free through our cleanliness testing services.
Our Cleanliness Testing Capabilities
Our chemical analysis division validates clients’ cleaning procedures by ensuring their ventilator components meet their required cleanliness threshold, such as nonvolatile residue (NVR Grades A-F) and particle count (Level 175, 300 and 500) outlined in ASTM G93. We employ several methods to perform this service, including the following:
- Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) and Light Microscopy
- Highly detailed visual results make this a fantastic preliminary test for spotting and identifying particulates
- ASTM E1508
- Gravimetric Analysis
- Able to determine mass of particulate debris or non-volatile residue (NVR)
- Ideal to determine total amount of residual manufacturing materials
- Ion Chromatography (IC)
- Well-suited for detecting trace residues from common cleaning chemicals and material handling residues
- ASTM D4327
- Inductively Coupled Plasma/Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES)
- Suitable for both metallic and polymeric components, this method allows for identification of trace contamination at the parts-per-million (ppm) level
- ASTM E 1479 and ASTM E1613
- Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)
- Perfect for identifying all types of non-metallic contamination, whether comparing against a suspected source or of completely unknown origin
- ASTM E1252
Our Marietta Lab, wherein we perform all such cleanliness testing, maintains ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accreditation through the A2LA to perform each of these methods to the specifications mentioned above.
About ATS
Applied Technical Services offers testing, consulting engineering, and inspection capabilities of matchless quality to companies around the world. In the 50+ years since our founding in 1967, we have broadened the scope of our services to answer a greater array of client needs. Once comprised of three engineers aiding local customers from their office in our founder’s basement, ATS now represents a multidisciplinary firm with locations throughout the United States. We employ over 1,000 chemists, technicians, inspectors, scientists, calibrators, Professional Engineers, trainers, and forensic investigators to perform expert services for companies from a variety of industries. We primarily operate in this capacity for the benefit of the manufacturers that produce ventilators and the healthcare companies that use them.
We Prioritize Quality
ATS’ chemical analysis division performs all cleanliness testing services under the scope of our ISO 9001:2015-registered quality management system. Our Marietta location gained this distinction in 1998 by submitting our business processes to a rigorous auditing process by ISO-approved inspectors. We have maintained uninterrupted registered status by upholding a routine audit schedule for periodic recertification. ATS invites this level of scrutiny into our procedures because it helps us continually improve upon the quality of our services and hold ourselves publicly accountable for the work we perform. We do it because we care about quality and insist on letting our clientele know it — we want to give them every reason to do business with us again in the future. To deliver the most positive customer experience we can, ATS upholds the following policies:
- Our testing specialists return detailed, clear, and accurate reporting within a quick turnaround window; we recognize that our clients need to make timely decisions informed by our findings and respect their time by getting it to them sooner
- Clients will sometimes reach out to us in need of clarification regarding either the status or results of their testing; our customer service representatives answer these requests and connect them with the most relevant staff member
- Lab personnel understand the ongoing nature of our relationship with clients; these experts stay accessible to customers with questions, are responsive to the needs they express, and remain engaged while helping alleviate their concerns
If your company needs cleanliness testing for ventilator components, contact ATS today about a free quote – We take a closer look.
