TacMed Solutions: sewing state-of-the-art canine skills trainer for military & first responders

Plus, a closer look at the Bernina's Creative Consultant software on their 7-series machines.

Greetings everybody,

Last week I put out an article on the Tactical Sewing community, highlighting a large group of sewing enthusiasts who create high-quality tactical gear like backpacks, travel pouches, rucksacks, camping gear, ghillie suits, ammo pouches, basic clothing, and more.

It reminded me of one of the more unique customers we’ve had at The Sewing Machine Shop, a company called TacMed Solutions who purchased a Bernina 740 from our shop.

TacMed Solutions sells all sorts of different medical supplies for military and police purposes— tourniquets, Stop the Bleed kits, survival blankets, bandages, and more. However, the reason they came into our shop was that they needed a machine capable of sewing large life-like rubber dogs that are used to train Operational Canine First Responders, Military Working Dog (MWD) handlers, Veterinarians, and Veterinary Technicians.

Designed in partnership with the Department of Defense, these life-like fake dogs are a state-of-the-art canine skills trainer that simulates active breathing, audio queues, and contain over 28 different features and medical intervention sites. Each training site is designed to replicate the look, feel, and function of actual medical procedures. Interchangeable limbs and injuries provide greater flexibility to vary wound patterns. This allows learners to perform a wide range of critical life-saving tasks with an incredibly realistic experience.

Because the dogs are made of rubber and fur, the company needed a powerful machine capable of sewing through a variety of unique fabrics with both a straight stitch and zig-zag stitch. They also wanted a machine with substantial throat space because the dogs are large (up to 50 pounds). They also needed a machine that could handle thicker thread. The Bernina 740 checked all the boxes. It’s one of the most powerful home sewing machines on the market, designed with 10 inches of throat space. It’s designed with the steel B9 hook system, which is a vertical rotary hook that can handle thicker threads than most horizontal rotary hook machines. Lastly, the B740 is equipped with Bernina’s Creative Consultant software, which allows the sewist to tell the machine the specific type of fabric they are sewing.

The icons pictured above represent the different types of fabric the creative Consultant alows you to select: Light-weight, medium-weight, and heavyweight wovens; Light-weight, medium-weight, and heavyweight knits; Denim/ Jeans; Fur/Fake fur; Toweling; Pile Fabrics; Leather and Vinyl; Tulle and Lace.

Once you select the fabric you are sewing, the machine will take you to the screen seen, where you select one of the 7 icons on the left side of the screen, which tells the Consultant what type of sewing you plan to do. Based on the fabric and technique you input into the machine, the Consultant will automatically change settings like tension, presser foot pressure, and stitch length in order to achieve a quality stitch.

The icons pictured above represent the different types sewing techniques that you can input into the Creative Consultant: Seams, Overcasting, Blind Hem, Buttonholes, Zippers, Decorative Stitching, Machine quilting, Free Motion Stitching, Applique.

A high-tech machine for a high-tech sewing project!

We’ve serviced the machine several times since purchase. Each time it came back to us covered in fur, and for one service in particular the machine’s trimming assembly needed repair. Other than that, the B740 seems to have held up well, despite the heavy use sewing rubber and fur.

Bravo, Bernina!

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Below, I’ve shared the product description for these life-like canine trainers as stated on TacMed Solutions website. I find it fascinating.

Key Features & Training Elements

• Breathing - adjustable from slow to panting

• Interchangeable limbs and injuries

• Bleeding junctional wound

• Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV)

• Intestinal evisceration

• Pulse

• Airway management

• Audio - barking, growling, whimpering, stertor, and stridor

• Movable jaw

• Intubation

• Breathing response

• Tracheostomy

• Bilateral needle decompression

• CPR

• IV insertion

• Bilateral intraosseous infusion

• Wireless remote control with real-time sensor data and programmable/customizable scenarios

Product Details

• Lifelike, full anatomical skeletal motion

• Realistic airway with adjustable breathing - from slow (10 bpm) to panting (120 bpm)

• Intubation with chest rise and fall (stomach rise and fall if incorrectly placed in esophagus)

• Interchangeable front and rear limbs: includes front legs with adjustable carpal fractures, two uninjured rear legs, and an amputated left rear leg with pressure-responsive bleeding

• Audio queues including barking, whimpering, growling, stertor, and stridor

• Cephalic IV training (bilateral) with flash cue

• Needle decompression/thoracocentesis with air release (bilateral)

• Femoral pulses (bilateral), strength and speed adjustable via remote control (60-170 bpm)

• Reusable lacerated paw for suture and bandage training

• Gastric Dilatation Volvulus decompression (GDV) site (bloat)

• CPR chest compressions with resistance

• Mouth-to-snout resuscitation

• Infusible (bilateral) Tibial and Humeral intraosseous (I/O) training with reusable bone plugs

• Intestinal evisceration

• Packable bleeding junctional wound (bilateral)

• Moveable, simulated GSW for chest seal training

• Tracheostomy training site with multi-layered tissue

• Realistic look and feel with a weight of ~60 lbs

• Hydrophobic fur with washable leg socks

• Easy care and maintenance

• Optional limbs include lower amputation on front leg (left) and resettable compound fracture rear leg (right)

• Optional mouth wound kit includes injured mouth with throat blockage and tongue with injury

• Optional floppy ears

• Wireless remote control with real-time sensor data and programmable/customizable scenario

Remote Controlled with Real-time Sensor Data

K9 Diesel is operated by a long-range wireless controller (RC), which includes real-time data to monitor medical interventions remotely. The remote is easy to use and takes only minutes to learn. LED indicators and LCD readouts immediately display critical vital and intervention data and provide instructors with instant feedback on the effectiveness of student interventions. Push-button controls also allow modification of features such as pulse rate, pulse strength, breathing, bleeding, and sounds.

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Thank you for reading!

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Thank you,

—Cale