Originally Published EMDM May/June 2002
PRODUCT UPDATE
Advanced Polymers Inc.
As
medical devices gradually decrease in size and grow more complex, manufacturers
are being faced with a new problem: how to assemble an increasing number of
components in a shrinking space. "Device manufacturers want to put more and
more components down the same tube, but they don't know how to do it," says
Mark Saab, president of Advanced Polymers Inc. (Salem, NH, USA). "When tubes
were larger, they could just snake the devices down the lumen, but with miniature
tubing this isn't feasible."
According to Saab, thin-wall heat-shrink tubing may be the solution. "Our heat-shrink tubing starts with a large inner diameter, so manufacturers can easily install their equipment and then shrink it down to the desired final dimensions," he says.
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Advanced Polymer's polyester tubing offers a number of unique shrink features, including process control that works as a function of temperature rather than time. "Our tubing also features a high melting point paired with a low shrinking temperature, which is a great combination for medical devices because they are often too delicate to withstand high heat," says Saab. Unrestricted, the tubing will shrink both radially and axially, with reductions of 15–20% being common. A special drawing process, however, prevents axial shrinking, allowing radial reductions of as much as 50%.
The heat-shrink tubing is offered with preshrink diameters of 0.01–1 in., and wall thicknesses of 0.0002–0.004 in. Standard unit length is 50 in., but custom lengths of 0.020 in. to 9 ft are available upon request. The tubing is supplied in a range of colours, including clear, white, black, and transparent green. Sterilization capabilities include EtO, gamma radiation, or autoclave processes. Heat-stabilized versions of the tubing are available to prevent shrinkage at temperatures as high as 150°C. Typical applications include catheter-tip tapering, electrosurgical needle and laparoscope insulation, catheter reinforcement, and component bundling.
Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer
