Problem
Bandages, pads and sterilization paper in hospitals were being cut by hand. The pads cut during a shift were not uniform; a dull blade went unnoticed and there was a risk of cuts on the hand.
Approach
Instead of designing a machine per use case, I chose to teach the use case to the machine. Nine different operating modes were defined; each mode carries its own width, length and quantity parameters. The user only selects the mode.
Technical solution
- Arduino Mega 2560 main control board
- Touch interface with a 240×240 color TFT LCD
- Precise material feeding with a stepper motor + TB6600 driver
- Position detection with a Hall sensor (3–4 cm accuracy)
- 12 V MOSFET switching with a 600 ms delayed safety trigger
- Guillotine (top-down) scalpel mechanism
Result
The device went into production and started to be used in hospitals. The need for manual cutting disappeared, the product became standardised and patient satisfaction increased.
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