Spotlight on Tubing
Heat-shrink tubing
Fifteen new sizes of ultra-thin- walled heat-shrink tubing were recently added to a company's more than 250 stock sizes. The high-strength tubes feature dielectric properties and are supplied in clear or coloured form. The material is USP Class VI compliant. Suited for such uses as catheter sleeves and fibre-optic bundling, the tubing is available in diameters from 0.010 to 1.0 in. with wall thicknesses ranging from 0.0002 to 0.004 in. Advanced Polymers Inc., Salem, NH, USA.
Single-lumen tubing
Standard 60 Shore A silicone tubing is available from stock with inner diameters from 0.3 mm. The nontoxic and autoclavable single-lumen tubing meets US FDA, USP, and European Pharmacopoeia requirements. In addition, close-tolerance platinum- and peroxide-cured silicone tubes are designed and manufactured to customer specifications. Multilumen, radiopaque, and coloured tubing are routinely produced. Extruded silicone profiles with complex cross sections and liquid silicone rubber injection-moulded small parts are also available. Sipla AG, Weggis, Switzerland.
Metal tubing
Small-diameter tubing is fabricated from 304 and 316L stainless steel and titanium. A large stock of tubing ranging in size from 0.20 to 5 mm OD enables the company to produce tubular components for OEM applications in prototype as well as larger quantities. Laser welding and engraving, grinding, swaging, flaring, and bending services are available. The company can also provide a variety of surface treatments. Unimed S.A., Lausanne, Switzerland.
Contract services
Extrusion of medical tubing is but one of the services provided by a company that supplies full-service design, manufacture, assembly, and packaging of sterile and nonsterile medical products. Catheters, dilators, introducers, and related minimally invasive devices are produced in Class 10,000 and Class 100,000 cleanrooms. Extrusion capabilities include multilumen, microbore, wall-reinforced, crosshead, and radiopaque tubing as well as coextrusions. All major thermoplastics are processed. Insert moulding of hubs and fittings, tip forming, welding and grinding, and marking services are also provided. The facility is certified to ISO 9001/EN 46001. Adam Spence Europe Ltd., Boyle, Co. Roscommon, Ireland.
Extrusion services
Layered coextrusions, paratubing, and multilumen extrusions are among the products supplied by a contract extruder of thermoplastics for medical uses. The firm is described as an R&D extrusion facility for companies in a new product start-up mode requiring developmental assistance in extrusion technology. Small extrusion runs of engineered thermoplastic materials are a specialty. Materials processed include polyurethane, polycarbonate, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, metallocenes, and LDPE. A broad range of finishing services such as punching and tip closing are also available. FBK Medical Device Technologies, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Flexible tubing
Designed to be durable, reliable, and flexible, silicone tubing is available in 10-, 15-, and 22-mm connection sizes, and in lengths ranging from 20 to 185 cm. Longer lengths can also be supplied. Suited for ventilation applications, the material offers transparency and low flow resistance; it withstands EtO and steam sterilization. Neoprene tubing is available for use with anaesthesia equipment. GaleMed Corp., Sanchung City, Taiwan.
Synthetic rubber tubing
Latex-free synthetic rubber tubing features the physical characteristics and performance specifications of natural rubber products. Manufactured in straight lengths, thereby eliminating curvatures in the final product, Hysynal tubing can be supplied in a variety of sizes. The USP Class VI material can be custom packaged. The Hygenic Corp., Akron, OH, USA.
Silicone tubing
Medical-grade silicone tubing, which can be either peroxide or platinum cured, is produced in a controlled cleanroom production area. In addition to a standard inch and metric range, tubing in customer-specified dimensions is available. Double- and multilumen tubing as well as radiopaque, coloured, and balloon tubing are routinely produced at the ISO 9002–certified facility. Products can be supplied in a range of durometers to tight tolerances. Precision cutting, printing, and marking services are available; depending on quantities, private-label tubing can be supplied. Degania Silicone, Degania Bet, Israel.
Silicone rubber products
Medical-grade silicone rubber formulations are biocompatible in accordance with ISO 10993, exhibit hardness, and can withstand physical stress and most forms of sterilization. The silicone rubber tubing made from this material is manufactured in ISO 9002/EN 46002–certified facilities equipped with cleanrooms. The company can provide assistance in obtaining the CE mark, saving its clients time and money. Gessil, Saint Quentin-Fallavier, France.
Fluoropolymers
Polyurethane, nylon, PTFE, and other fluoropolymers are extruded according to customer specifications. Typical applications include single- and multilumen tubing, optical-fibre sheathing, sheets, and rod components. The company, which is certified to ISO 9002, manufactures a line of durable and flexible replacement biopsy channels. They are constructed with a PTFE inner layer and supported with a polyurethane-encapsulated stainless-steel spring. International Polymer Engineering, Tempe, AZ, USA.
