What uses can I use this for

Gentlemen,

I am type 2 Diabetic and recently I've been having difficulties controlling my sugar levels and the Doctors have now got me, since yesterday, injecting a drug into myself. The practitioner nurse instructed me in the use of what's best described as a pen.

As a working engineer I'm fascinated with this device for two reasons, the first is how do they make a 0.25 mm OD tube i.e. the needle and my second thought is there must be a use for the pen when the drug is finished. Its about the size of a large pen which at one end you can fit the disposable needle and at the other end is a dial which is adjustable from zero to 1.8mg in increments of 0.6mg and also a small pump to inject the liquid through the needle.

My initial idea is a lubricating device for small amounts, what thoughts have you.

Martin P

Certainly just the job for a micro oiler.

Hi

As a diabetic myself, i have pondered the same problem. havn't found a use yet.

BTW insulin is a hormone not a drug

regards

Keith

Leeds UK

I though a hormone was a yell out of a brothel window ????????????

Keith,

I'm injecting Liraglutide not Insulin.

Martin P

I don't know how they make the tube, but I do know a bloke who works in quality assurance*.

He says he knew someone at a British firm who were sent a little jewel box by an American firm containing 'the worlds smallest steel tube'.

He also says they sent it back with one of their own steel tubes threaded through it

Neil

A man of many talents, he also sang on the kiddy chorus of 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day".

Neil

That's a very old story, I heard it years ago - I just hope it's true!

(Although today, in this age of conspicuous consumption and " bigger is better" attitudes maybe being sent the worlds "biggest" tube and returning it, with 6 others, inside a larger tube would seem, to some, more impressive.)

Norman

Martin, Sounds like they may work as watch oilers!

Back in the mists of time during my motor engineering days in Doncaster, the story going around then was that a company in America sent the (long time defunct) International Harvesters a drill bit for their perusal, this drill bit was microscopic in size aparrently, but the IH boffins sent the drill back to them with hole neatly drilled down the middle!
Not sure how true it is, but I'm sure it will have happened somewhere at some time!

John

The one I have heard, is that during the beginning for the second world war, the merlin engines that the british built did not require a gasket due to the finish of the parts. When the plans were given to the Americans for Packard to build under licence, a gasket had to be added as they could not finish the pieces to the same quality. I am not sure how true it is, but a nice story all the same.

Neil,

They make bigger tube and draw it down through a series of dies.

MichaelG.

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P.S.    Nice video, here

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 06/04/2013 19:27:26

Hi Stub, the name of the firm was Accles and Pollock and Dad had one of their samples tubes inside the aforesaid American one mounted on a sales brochure card. To prove the smaller tube was in fact a tube, a thin piece of wire was threaded down it. I am not sure, but it may have been been given away at the Great Exdhibition (1950 ??)

Bob

Maybe 1963 ?

MichaelG.

Follow this link for the Accles and Pollock small tube story. Look on page 18, just underneath the cartoon of the 'scientist/engineer'

**LINK**

Hi Bob

The "Great Exhibition" usually refers to the 1851 exhibition at the Crystal Palace. The 1951 exhibition was the Festival Of Britain. I think minature tubes are more likely to have been available in 1951 rather than 1851.

They had a large "Skylon" I think it was called - like a huge silver cigar I seem to recall. ( Pretty small beer by todays constructions I expect) I think it was an attempt at a bit of pick up for a nation in the aftermath of the war. I remember my Dad going and, much as I wanted to go too, I was deemed too young ( at the age of 6! )

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 06/04/2013 20:15:15

Sounds like this story has been doing the rounds for some time

An Oldbury firm, so quite possible Joh did hear it from soneone who worked there.

Full story is here 1920's by all accounts!

Neil

Martin,

For info. Here is a handy reference to Hypodermic Tube sizes.

MichaelG.

MichaelG,

Thanks for that, interesting data regarding the hole sizes as well.

Martin P

Dave Jones 1, I have read quite a lot about the Rolls Royce company, and although I had heard this and similar stories, I now understand that the American factories were very good at accurate mass production, better than we were in fact. Some aspects of Merlin design were changed to assist the manufacturing process and assembly by less-skilled workers. I hestitate to cast nasturtiums at a wonderful company, whose engineering has always been superb, but truth is better than stories.

Regards

Geoff

That was my thought Geoff,

In a time of war ease of production rules, replacing a precision finishing operation with a stamped gasket is a no-brainer.

Neil

The difference between a RR Merlin and a Packhard Merlin, RR the oil is on the outside, Packhard, the oil is on the inside, sort of like English and Japanese motor bikes. The American engine had better oil seals, the RR engines had felt seals, I used to have a book with all the modifications that were instituted for mass production.

There was a story in ME proberbly about 20yrs ago about someone who produced a domestic sewing needle drilled lengthwise, there was a bit more to the story, but I can't remember what it was.

As a nurse I'v stuck plenty of needles in people, but I never really thought much about the method of construction. Ian S C