SMTL Research Activity

Introduction

In addition to the day-to-day commercial testing and testing for the Health Service in Wales, SMTL is also involved in research and development work for clients on a regular basis.

This often entails custom designing test methods to enable a new products properties to be properly evaluated, and to enable comparative testing against similar products.

The Laboratory is deeply involved with various working parties in the UK to develop, test and refine new methods of testing a variety of products. Details of some of the projects SMTL has undertaken are given below.

Research is an essential tool of SMTL's trade - we are continously seeking to develop new methods and update old ones as emphasis or standards alter. A number of SMTL developed methods have moved on from being purely in-house methods to being adopted as the basis of a British Standards test.

Research Projects

Working Parties

SMTL has had input to, and performed regular testing for working parties on the following product groups:

Hydrocolloids
Alginates
Hydrogels
Casting Materials
Absorbency, Adherency and Moisture Vapour Transmission Rates (MVTR)
Cohesive Bandages

Sub-bandage pressure systems

SMTL recently completed a study on the accuracy of a number of sub-bandage pressure measurement systems.

Wheelchair cushion pressure profiles

SMTL recently completed a study on the pressure profiles obtained under a variety of wheelchair cushions, using differing body weights/sizes to test the effectiveness of cushions to relieve potential pressure sore damage.

Test Method Development

Recent Test Method development at SMTL has include the following :

The development of methods to determine the force required to operate, and break, taps fitted to urine drainage bags.
The development of a new method of investigating the fluid exchange in hydrogel dressings.
The development of methods to investigate the gel blocking ability of alginate dressings, the amount that alginate fibres swelled, and a method of measuring residual alginate material left in a simulated wound after gelation.
The development of methods to investigate the osmolality and friction properties of the hydrophilic coating of intermittent catheters.

Current Challenges

SMTL has a number of projects under way in-house at the moment, including further test method development on alginate and similar dressings, and the development of a test method to test the efficacy of odour absorbing dressings as they become saturated.

This site was originally set up with the aid of sponsorship from the Value for Money Unit, Welsh Office and an educational grant from Sophos Convatec.

URL: http://www.smtl.co.uk/SMTL/smtl-research.html
Last Modified: Friday, 24-Apr-1998 10:38:06 BST