Originally Published EMDM September 2002
PRODUCT UPDATE
MCTec B.V.Using a proprietary continuous coating process, a company applies a biocompatible material to metal and plastic parts. The spool-to-spool process produces smoother wires with a more consistent diameter than spray coating, according to Hans Hanssen, technology director at MCTec B.V. (Venlo, Netherlands).
"Our coating process is an alternative to conventional spray coating," says Hanssen. In addition to the functional benefits, the continuous process allows the firm to treat spools of wire measuring thousands of feet, resulting in cost savings for the OEM.
The coating is about 0.0002 in. thick, whereas a typical spray coating measures about 0.001 in. PTCA guidewire cores, which are normally limited to a diameter of 0.014 in., are among the products that benefit from the reduced coating thickness. To allow for the thickness of the spray coating, specifications usually call for an uncoated wire diameter of 0.013 in. The MCTec coating process allows the uncoated diameter to be increased to 0.0134 or 0.0135 in., thus enabling designers to increase the size of the material and add stiffness to the component.
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