Medical & Life Science

Even the smallest components can have life-changing consequences. Precision, reliability, and absolute cleanliness are essential in the medical sector, as any contamination or device failure could compromise patient safety and performance.

At Clippard, we specialize in flow control solutions built to meet these strict demands. We use inert, medical-grade materials and offer cleanroom assembly for the highest level of cleanliness. Many of our products were developed specifically for the needs of the medical sector. For example, our Media Isolation Valves (NIV Series) and Pinch Valves are built so that the controlled media never touches the valve's operating mechanism, guaranteeing purity. And when off-the-shelf solutions aren’t enough, we work with your engineers to create customized components tailored to your specific needs.

Key advantages of our solutions include:

• Prevent cross-contamination
• Achieve precise and consistent flow control
• Reduce power consumption in portable devices
• Integrate compactly into complex systems

Dialysis Equipment: Solutions for Cleanly & Efficiently Controlling Blood Flow

The challenge: Dialysis machines demand uncompromising sterility and reliability, requiring blood flow control that keeps the patient’s fluid path fully isolated from internal components.

The solution: We supplied Clippard Pinch Valves engineered for seamless integration with disposable tubing, enabling clean external actuation without any internal wetted parts.

The result: This design ensures complete fluid path isolation (preventing contamination and shear), minimizes operational noise/heat, and provides real-time position feedback for enhanced safety.

ECMO Systems: Overcoming Pneumatic Challenges

The challenge: Mobile ECMO units demand ultra-compact, low-power pneumatics with deterministic, closed-loop control over gas flow and system pressure.

The solution: We supplied Clippard Spider Valves and custom integrated manifolds, selected for their rapid response time (< 10 ms), high cycle life, and minimal internal volume.

The result: This design enabled a reliable, redundant safety architecture in a limited footprint, while meeting strict oxygen-cleanliness standards and achieving high-precision, low-hysteresis control essential for patient metabolic stability.

Orthopedic Surgery: Improving Orthopedic Outcomes with Precision Proportional Control

The challenge: Orthopedic surgery demands rapid, stable, and ultra-precise pneumatic control in surgical tourniquet systems to ensure a clear field without risking nerve damage.

The solution: Clippard's DVP Series Proportional Valve delivers fast response (<15 ms) and stable flow (up to 65 l/min) for dynamic, quiet, and precise pressure control.

The result: Enables smarter, safer surgical tourniquet systems with fine-tuned responsiveness, reducing patient trauma and supporting faster, safer recoveries.

Artificial Heart Contraction Control, Ventilator Air Flow & Gas Blending: Precision & Reliability in Critical Medical Applications

The challenge: Life-sustaining devices (artificial hearts, ventilators) require components with exceptional precision, fast response, and extreme durability for continuous, flawless operation.

The solution: Clippard valves, utilizing Spider Technology, provide low-leak, low-power control with high cycle life (1B+ actuations) to pilot pumps and blend gases.

The result: Enables reliable, finely tuned control over critical parameters like heart rhythm and gas mixing, ensuring consistent and safe patient care in high-stakes settings.

Engineering Solutions for MRI Compatibility

The challenge: A ventilator manufacturer required a fully pneumatic, non-magnetic design to ensure the device could safely and reliably operate immediately next to a powerful MRI machine.

The solution: Clippard provided standard and custom versions of its valves and indicators using only non-ferromagnetic materials (e.g., brass, aluminum, non-ferrous stainless steel).

The result: The OEM successfully engineered a fully pneumatic ventilator that meets ASTM standards for MRI compatibility, enabling safe, non-electric operation near the machine.

Portable Oxygen Concentrators

The challenge: Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs) demand highly reliable, low-power valves to efficiently balance gas loads and maintain consistent, regulated oxygen flow for mobile patients.

The solution: Clippard's EVP Series Proportional Control Valve (based on the 1B+ cycle EV Series) provides consistent gain and flow regulation based on the current input.

The result: This valve enables O2-Concepts' high-efficiency ESA technology, yielding consistent regulated flow, improved final inspection results, and enhanced product reliability.