Magnetic ink for marking defective parts or assemblies during manufacturing

• US 20080262644A1
• Filed: 03/21/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quidel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Quidel Corporation
• Inventors: McLeod, Scot
• Granted Patent: US 8,494,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/110
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/84 by applying magnetic powder or magnetic ink

Abstract

The methods relate to the use of magnetic ink for marking defective parts or assemblies during manufacturing, thereby allowing the defective parts or assemblies to be detected in products following manufacturing, even if concealed or hidden in the product.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a defective assembly in a final product of manufacture, the defect being identified during manufacturing, and the defective assembly being substantially concealed in the final product, the method comprising:

a) identifying a defect in an assembly during manufacturing;

b) marking the defective assembly with magnetic ink during manufacturing;

c) detecting the magnetic ink in a final product; and

d) isolating the defective product so marked;

wherein the magnetic ink allows the detection of the defective assembly that is substantially concealed in a final product of manufacture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the final product of manufacture is a laminated device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the defect is in a layer of the laminated device, the layer being substantially concealed in the final product.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the defect is a defective capillary formed by the layers of the laminated device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein manufacturing is performed using a reel-to-reel process.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the defect is identified using a camera to visually inspect the assembly during manufacturing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein marking is performed by spraying magnetic ink on the assembly.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the marking is performed by spotting magnetic ink on the assembly.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the final product of manufacture is an assay device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the assay device is a laminated test strip-based assay device.