Originally Published EMDM
May/June 2004
Technology News
Tube-Shrinking System Boosts Throughput for Catheter ManufacturersRita Emmanouilidou
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| Engineered for flexibility, the Shrink Cycler 810A accommodates a variety of length and speed settings in a single cycle. |
A new tube-shrinking system automates a process that is often done manually. The Shrink Cycler 810A, developed by
Beahm Designs (Campbell, CA, USA), reportedly improves process control and increases productivity.
Manual tube shrinking requires a skilled operator who can draw the tubing at a consistent rate through a stream of hot air. A slight variance in the draw rate can result in uneven tube recovery. Also, with long tubing, the process is time-consuming and throughput is limited. Tubing can also be shrunk in large industrial ovens.
“When the entire [length of] tubing tries to recover at the same time, air pockets are sometimes formed,” explains Brian Beahm, chief technology officer at Beahm Designs. “Irregular shrink-tubing recovery means lower yield.”
The Shrink Cycler 810A automates this process. The system can simultaneously accommodate up to four 71-in.-long catheter shafts. “Once the tubes are in place, they are exposed to a focused hot air- stream that heats them evenly,” says Beahm. Tubing guides center the product within the heat zone, ensuring even tube recovery. Multiple length and speed transitions are possible within a single cycle. All settings are controlled by an operator keypad. Additional features include independent temperature control for each product, ensuring a high level of consistency. Because the variances associated with other techniques are eliminated, process validation is facilitated.
The system has been used by a California-based catheter manufacturing company with good results. “Prior to receiving this product, we used an oven process to laminate our catheter shafts,” says Jose Garcia of Lumend Inc. “This produced low yields due to the inconsistency of the laminate material’s longitudinal growth characteristics. The Shrink Cycler is a durable machine and has performed more than 100,000 cycles since installation with no downtime.”
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