Mark Crawford, Contributing Writer10.09.19
One of the most innovative and rapidly advancing fields in medical device manufacturing is extrusion. This science is evolving at a swift pace to keep up with the increasing complexity of medical devices and the needs of surgical teams. For example, more medical procedures are utilizing catheters as delivery systems, which often require enhanced tubing characteristics such as multiple durometers, deflection capability, and steerability. Today extruders can create tubing with an interior-diameter (ID) size in the 35- to 50-micron range with high precision.
New equipment continues to roll out that makes smaller parts with very tight tolerances, exercising levels of control and capability far beyond what was possible just a few years ago. Off-the-shelf tooling is available in smaller and smaller sizes. Even with the widespread push for smaller tubing, a growing number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) also want larger thick-walled tubing, which can make it a challenge to find extruding equipment that meets such a wide range of tubing specifications.
In addition, online measurement technologies are now highly robust and capabl
New equipment continues to roll out that makes smaller parts with very tight tolerances, exercising levels of control and capability far beyond what was possible just a few years ago. Off-the-shelf tooling is available in smaller and smaller sizes. Even with the widespread push for smaller tubing, a growing number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) also want larger thick-walled tubing, which can make it a challenge to find extruding equipment that meets such a wide range of tubing specifications.
In addition, online measurement technologies are now highly robust and capabl
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