On Site Calibration and Service of Instron 3345 and 34SC-5 Tensometers

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership's Surgical Materials Testing Laboratory has awarded a service and maintenance contract worth £39,687 to Instron – Division of ITW Ltd for on-site calibration and servicing of two Instron 3345 and 34SC-5 tensometers. These electromechanical testing systems are used to validate the strength and durability of medical devices and biocompatible materials in compliance with regulatory standards. The direct award to Instron was justified on the grounds that the supplier holds exclusive intellectual property rights to the devices and their proprietary software, making them the sole provider of replacement parts and software updates in the UK.