SPOTLIGHT

Polyimide tubing

Polyimide tubing has mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties that make it suited for use in a variety of medical applications including cardiovascular and urological catheters and drug-delivery stents. Braid-reinforced designs are available for added flexibility, torque, and column strength. The company’s polyimide tubing is radiation resistant, chemically inert, transparent, abrasion resistant, and has unlimited shelf life. Thermoplastic jackets, multidurometer designs, flexible tips, subassemblies, and PTFE lines
are also available. Microlumen Inc., Tampa, FL, USA.

Extruded components

A manufacturer of silicone components for the medical device industry offers a variety of extrusion services. Having recently expanded its extrusion capability, the company can produce coextrusions as well as single- and multilumen tubing. Clear, pigmented, and opaque material formulations are offered. Wire or thread can be included in the tubing to provide added strength and kink or stretch resistance. The manufacturer is certified to ISO 13485:2003. Vesta Inc., Franklin, WI, USA.


Multilayer tubing

Multilayer tubing combines the attributes of nonreactive polyethylene with clear, flexible medical-grade PVC. The pure low-density polyethylene inner layer is compatible for contact with a variety of reagents. According to the manufacturer, the exterior non-DEHP PVC layer enables easy assembly and provides the feel and bonding capability of traditional medical tubing. The tubing is available in coils of varying inner and outer diameters that can meet a variety of design needs. The company is certified to ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001. Qosina Corp., Edgewood, NY, USA.

Medical-grade tubing

A company offers a range of medical tubing extruded in a Class 10,000 cleanroom including corrugated and smooth-bore varieties. The tubing design does not require glues, solvents, or other chemicals for connections. Tubing can be provided in a variety of configurations to meet specific requirements. The products are compliant with CE requirements and the company is certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 13485:2003. Altera A.S., Izmir, Turkey.


Polyurethane tubing

Polyurethane tubing offers high flexibility, elasticity, and resistance to kinking and abrasion. It also can withstand exposure to oil, water, ozone, and grease. Coiled tubing is available with a 16-in. straight tail and the inner diameter of the tubing can range from 1⁄16 to 1⁄4 in. The high-pressure tubing can be used with compression fittings and is offered in copper, nylon, Teflon, and polyethylene. In addition, tubing accessories that are suited for a range of medical applications are also offered. Beswick Engineering Company, Inc., Greenland, NH, USA.

Precision tubing

A company produces redrawn precision tubes in bar and coil form using tungsten inert-gas welding. The firm can cut the tubing into parts measuring a few millimeters in length that are burr-free. These parts are supplied on request according to the dimensional tolerances indicated in the specifications. The firm also can produce stainless-steel tubes in diameters ranging from 0.30 to 76.00 mm and wall thicknesses from 0.10 to 3.50 mm. In addition, it offers custom needles for anaesthesia and disposable hypodermic needles. Tecnofar, Delebio (SO), Italy.


Silicone tubing

A company offers a variety of medical-grade tubing made from a silicone elastomer that meets USP Class VI and NSF-51 requirements. Manufactured according to GMPs in a controlled environment, the tubing is reusable, can withstand repeated sterilization, is nonreactive to body tissues and fluids, and has a translucent natural colour. Much of the firm’s silicone tubing, including unreinforced and reinforced silicone hose, and fluid- and air-transfer products, is certified to be free of animal-derived ingredients. New Age Industries Inc., Southampton, PA, USA.

Plastic tubing

Tubing employing plastic alloy compounds is designed specifically for medical use. Manufactured from inert USP Class VI–compliant materials, the Flexelene MX tubing is soft and flexible. In addition, the materials used in the tubing are nonallergenic, recyclable, conform to EC directive 202/72/EC, and comply with FDA regulations 21 CFR 177.2600(a) and 21 CFR 177.1810(b). In addition, the tubing has a Shore A hardness of 58 and is available in sizes ranging from 1⁄16 to 1 in. ID. The company’s MFX tubing line features ultralow extractables and contains no halogens, plasticizers, latex, or vinyl acetate. When incinerated, it produces completely organic emissions. Eldon James Corp., Loveland, CO, USA.

Stainless-steel tubing

A company supplies precision Types 304 and 316 stainless-steel tubing in a variety of gauges. The firm uses advanced tools such as high-speed precision electrochemical cutters for grinding and cutting tubular components. The aforementioned electrochemical equipment can achieve consistently burr-free cutting with high accuracy on tubing with outer diameters as small as 0.31 mm. Custom tubing also can be developed. Rapid prototyping services ensure turnarounds averaging 2 to 4 weeks. Popper & Sons, New Hyde Park, NY, USA.