Originally Published EMDM November/December 2001
PRODUCT UPDATE
Integrated Catheter-Coating Systems Improve Yield and Increase Production
A
new line of integrated systems for catheter, stent, and guidewire coating
allow products to be dipped, dried, and cured in a single enclosure. System
features include short drying times, consistent coating, and a self-contained
dipping tube to eliminate cross-contamination. The equipment, from Kuntz Mfg.
Co., Inc. (Santa Ana, CA, USA) can also be customized to meet specific needs.
The
coating line differs from traditional dipping systems. Normally, catheters
are dip coated in a vat, but in the Kuntz systems the catheters are hung vertically,
attached to a luer fitting clip or in some cases rotated, and then individually
dipped into a slender, small-volume plastic fluid-reservoir tube. According
to Anita Jul Brown, Kuntz’s sales and marketing manager, vat dipping
requires more coating solution and the quality of the coating can be affected
if multiple items are dipped simultaneously. “Many times the catheters
will swing into one another while being dipped and damage the coating,”
says Brown. “And dust particles are more likely to taint the solution
in a vat than in a reservoir tube.” The drying process differs from traditional
methods as well. Catheters are normally dried in a large oven with hot air
blowing. Using that method, the catheters are likely to swing against each
other. Kuntz’s equipment offers in-line drying. After being individually
dipped, the catheters go through a drying shell with focussed beam or radiated
heat. Because there is no blowing air, the possibility of damaging the catheters
is minimized. UV curing is an optional feature with all of the coating systems.
Kuntz equipment can also accommodate the need for a base or primer coat as
part of the in-line process.
“The
systems can be as elaborate or as simple as a customer wishes,” says
Brown. However, she says that many customers have to calculate the benefits,
because at first glance, the systems may not seem as efficient as others.
“People have to think in a whole different aspect,” says Brown.
“In a traditional dipping system you can maybe do 15 to 20 parts at a
time, but with a 3-hour cycle time. With our system you may only do up to
six parts at a time, but with a 3–6-minute cycle time. You can actually
significantly improve your original production rate.”
Almost 90% of Kuntz’s customers are in the medical device industry, and Brown says this is indicative of the company’s focus on providing high-quality equipment to the industry. “There is a large need for streamlined products—low cost, but high quality. We want to help our customers achieve this,” she says.
Copyright ©2001 European Medical Device Manufacturer
