Life Cycle Tester
Medical Devices
Custom designed device for life cycling pumps featuring eight independent stations with configurable stroke controls, force verification, and graphing of maximum and minimum forces.
Directory
Public engineering firm profile
Dirks Instruments LLC
Stilwell, KS
Custom Test Equipment and Product Design
- Services
- 16
- Offices
- 1
- Projects
- 9
- Leaders
- 1
Overview
For over 25 years, Dirks Instruments LLC has provided custom design and build solutions for test equipment and assembly automation, with a particular specialization in medical respiratory products. Operating out of Stilwell, Kansas, it takes client ideas from initial concept through finished product. The practice serves organizations requiring contract engineering support for product development, prototyping, design-for-manufacturability, and low-volume manufacturing.
Services
Engineering Design Services
Comprehensive design and support services spanning initial concept to finished designs. Services include design optimization for ease of manufacturing, product development, prototyping, and adding capabilities to existing products.
Test Equipment Design and Manufacture
Design and build of custom test hardware and companion PC-based data-recording software. Solutions range from portable field devices to simulators that replicate real-world use cases and assembly-stage quality assurance systems.
Assembly Automation and Fixturing
Development of semi-automated assembly equipment and custom fixtures to streamline repetitive manufacturing tasks, hold workpieces, and support in-process testing.
Low-Volume Manufacturing and Assembly
Mechanical and printed circuit board (PCB) assembly capabilities combined with in-house CNC milling and 3D printing for prototype development and low-volume production runs.
Industries
Firm type
Projects
Flow / Volume Simulator
Hans Rudolph, Inc. | Medical Devices
A flow waveform generator used to reproduce precise air flow waveforms simulating forceful human exhalations to test spirometers and peak flow meters. Utilizes a high-performance linear motion system, custom air cylinder mechanism, built-in instrumentation, and user interface software.
Oxygen Conserver Test System
Hans Rudolph, Inc. | Medical Devices
Development and production testing system for oxygen conserving devices, designed to measure several oxygen pulse parameters and other key functional criteria.
Commercial Dough Mixer Monitor
Food & Beverage
A monitoring device for commercial bakery dough mixing processes that compares in-progress batches against a known-good baseline, alerting operators to significant deviations to maintain bread quality and consistency.
Commercial Aircraft Emergency Passenger Oxygen System Prototype
Aerospace
A consulting and development engagement to design and build a prototype oxygen delivery device for commercial aircraft, including support systems to simulate aircraft interfaces and measurement equipment for simulated decompression testing.
Breathing Simulator
Medical Devices
A mechanical simulator of spontaneous adult lung mechanics used to assist in the development of ventilators, sleep apnea blowers, and inhaled drug delivery systems. Powered by an embedded computer, mathematical lung model, and a servo-motor-driven bellows.
Pneumotach Amplifier 1
Hans Rudolph, Inc. | Medical Devices
An instrumentation package designed for measuring respiratory flow and pressure signals. It uses highly sensitive pressure sensors and converts these signals into analog outputs.
Oxygen Delivery and Oximetry Monitor
Medical Devices
A device connected between a patient's oxygen system and cannula tubing that measures delivered oxygen, integrates with a finger or forehead oximeter to track blood oxygen levels, and transmits breath cycle data to an SD card or PC.
Smart Carburetor Design
SmartCarb | Manufacturing
Collaborative design update for a carburetor, prioritizing improved reliability, performance, simplified assembly, and manufacturability while maintaining cost parity.
Leadership
Testimonials
The O2 Conserver Checker has been a game changer for POC production and engineering! We used to have three separate meters, none of which were very accurate. The Checker, and its software, easily replaces all three with improved accuracy and precision. Plus, it measures pressure, which we were not capable of previously. Additionally, especially with the software, it provides you with a clear and concise picture of the POC's performance. The technicians really like the simplicity and ease of use. It has required far less training time for them to become comfortable with the new system. Furthermore, the use of the device test file, and its red and green flags, makes it intuitively clear when the POC is in or out of spec. As an engineer, I greatly appreciate the ability to record raw data and then manipulate it in excel. It's exceptionally helpful when trying to diagnose various issues, or when performing experiments.
At DCH, we rely on the Conserver Checker to ensure that all of our oxygen concentrators meet manufacturer specifications before they are sent out to patients. Each unit is thoroughly tested both before it is dispatched and when it is returned. The Conserver Checker has been invaluable in identifying units that, despite reporting correct oxygen purity levels, were actually falling short of required standards. In several cases, the checker revealed discrepancies in oxygen flow rates, which would have gone unnoticed without this tool. The checker's ability to measure oxygen purity, flow, and pulse trigger simultaneously streamlines and accelerates the verification process, making it an essential tool in our office. I would highly recommend this product to any company that manages oxygen concentrators. Checking the concentrator before issuing it out for patient use is the most important step to ensure proper operation. This quick check not only saves time but also prevents unnecessary costs by avoiding technician visits to swap out units due to issues that could have been identified before delivery.