MARKET PLACE
Microfluidic management
The Lee Company offers a miniature inert system of tubing and components for microfluidic management. The 062 MINSTAC system allows the creation of reliable, compact fluidic systems with the ability to precisely control flow rate, pressure, filtration, atomisation and other performance factors. The system is for use with 1.6 mm (0.062 in.) o.d. Teflon tubing.
The Lee Company, Westbrook, Connecticut, USA.
Tel. +1 860 399 6281, www.theleeco.com
Tubing processing machines
Metzner’s product range includes machines for processing tubes, profiles and flat gaskets. According to the company, its cutting technologies work reliably, with high precision and repeatability and at rates of up to 2000 cuts/min. The company can cut, stamp or drill material that is elastic or rigid from an extruder or a coil.
Metzner Maschinenbau GmbH, Neu-Ulm, Germany.
Tel. +49 731 401 99 89, www.metzner.com
Tubing
Plastiflex manufactures a variety of tubing products. The range includes breathing system/ventilator tubing made from low density polyethylene and etheylene vinyl acetate and offering high levels of transparency and flexibility; plain green or transparent nontoxic tubing for use in urine bags; crush resistant oxygen tubing with star lumen in o.d. of 5.6 mm and i.d. of 3.2 mm; and nasal tubing with o.d. of 3.4 mm and i.d. of 1.8 mm. The company also supplies pressure monitoring line from 10–200 cm with a capacity of 3999 kPa (580 psi ).
Plastiflex, Thane, India.
Tel. +91 250 645 3231, e-mail: info@plastiflex.org
Stainless steel tubing
Tecnofar manufactures stainless steel (AISI 304-304, L-316-316 L) redrawn precision tubes with normal, thin and ultrathin walls. The tubes are available in a range of sizes, with o.d.s ranging from 0.30 to 4 mm and wall thickness from 0.09 to 0.15 mm.
Tecnofar SpA, Delebio, Italy.
Tel. +39 0342 684 115, www.tecnofar.it
Tubing production
Avicenna specialises in using laser and mechanical energy combined with automation to prototype, plan and manufacture tubing components. The company can ablate, cut, drill, etch and mark various tubing materials through its laser energy services, and can cut, flare, form and grind various tubing products through its mechanical energy services.
Avicenna Technology, Montevideo, Minnesota, USA.
Tel. +1 320 269 5588, www.avicennatech.com
Polyurethane tubing
Beswick offers high performance polyurethane (PU) tubing, coiled PU tubing, high pressure tubing and tubing accessories, clamps and pliers. The tubing is designed for applications in fluid-power systems, which require flexibility and reliability. The PU tubing reportedly provides flexibility, resistance to kinking and abrasion, superior memory, elasticity, and resists attack by water, ozone, oil, and grease. Tube i.ds range from 0.16 in. (4.1 mm) to 0.25 in. (6.4 mm).
Beswick Engineering Co. Inc., Greenland, New Hampshire, USA.
Tel. +1 603 433 1188, www.beswick.com
Tubing supplier
Bennett Scientific supplies tubing manufactured by Saint Gobain. It provides collared, transmission and manifold tubing in more than 20 different tubing formulas. The company also offers advice in specifying the most suitable
tubing for an application.
Bennett Scientific Ltd, Newton Abbot, UK
Tel. +44 1626 369 990, www.bennett-scientific.com
Microdiameter tubing
IW MinVasive Components offers microdiameter tubing and wire products for catheters, guide shafts and other speciality applications. Microtubing products include thermoplastic (polyimide) and thermoset resins (Nylon, Pebax and urethanes), braid or coil wire reinforced, conductor embedded, polytetrafluoroethylene lined, polymer hybrid designs, and polytetrafluoroethylene particle composites. Services include end flaring and tipping.
IW MinVasive Components, Trenton, Georgia, USA.
Tel. +1 706 657 1325, www.iwghpc.com
Metal tubing
Fine Tubes supplies high precision metal tubes for applications such as implants, including trauma nails and screws, spinal mesh, dental and vascular stents and surgical instruments. Materials include Titanium alloys and conventional or vacuum melt stainless steel. Sizes range from 1 mm o.d. to 38.1 mm o.d.
Fine Tubes Ltd, Plymouth, UK.
Tel. +44 1752 735 851, www.finetubes.com
Clean room fluoroplastic tubing
Polyfluor custom manufactures clean room tubing. The company focusses mainly on fluoropolymers such as perfluoroalkoxy, fluorinated ethylene propylene, ethylene tetrafluoroethylene and polyvinylidene fluoride, but also supplies polyaryletheretherketone polycarbonate, polyethylene and silicone tubing.
Polyfluor Plastics bv, Oosterhout, The Netherlands.
Tel. +31 162 47 21 22, www.polyfluor.nl
Polyimide tubing
MicroLumen specialises in the manufacture of high performance polyimide tubing. Capabilities include custom braid and steel coil reinforced tube shafts, PTFE/FEP composite constructions and laser machined custom medical
tubing for specific tasks.
MicroLumen Inc., Tampa, Florida, USA.
Tel. +1 813 886 1200, www.microlumen.com
Hypotube capabilities
MCTec supplies PTFE coated hypotubes for PTCA and stent delivery in various diameters and lengths, and shaped with markers. According to the company, the uniform and thin layer of PTFE coating allows maximum design freedom for the tubing, especially when the o.d. is critical.
MCTec, Venlo, The Netherlands.
Tel. +31 773 559 009, www.mctec.eu
Plastic tubing extrusions
Precision Extrusion custom designs and manufactures small diameter plastic tubing extrusions. Capabilities include plastic coextrusions with coloured stripes of different polymer materials, multilayer tubing with different hardnesses and performance characteristics, braided shaft and overjacketing. Multiple lumen tubing can be manufactured in various shapes and configurations, with i.d.s and walls as small as 0.05 mm (0.002 in.).
Precision Extrusion Inc., Glens Falls, New York, USA.
Tel. +1 877 792 1199, www.precisionextrusion.com
Heat shrink tubing
Optinova specialises in the precision extrusion of tubing to customer specifications. Heat shrink tubing is available in fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) materials, which have a low coefficient of friction, good antistick surface and high chemical resistance, making them suitable for tube joining and forming.
Optinova Ab, Godby, Finland.
Tel. +358 18 32 900, www.optinova.com
Custom extruded tubing
IDEX custom manufactures tubing assemblies and custom extruded tubing in its Class 100000 clean room. Extrusion capabilities include multilumen, tapered, oval, profile and other custom shapes, as well as necking, flaring, tipping, thermoforming, annealing, marking and bonding. The company also supplies the new line of diagnostic grade fittings and tubing assemblies from Upchurch Scientific. The low-pressure tubing assemblies are designed for lowpressure fluidic systems in diagnostic instruments and are based on flangeless technology that is reportedly proven to reduce leaks.
IDEX Health & Science LLC, Oak Harbor, Washington, USA.
Tel. +1 360 682 4152, www.idex-hs.com
