Raydiance Inc. (Petaluma, CA) has teamed up with Rofin (Plymouth, MI) to introduce femtosecond laser technology for medical device manufacturing applications.

Rofin's first machine incorporating Raydiance's laser technology is the StarCut Tube Femto, which the companies claim is the first complete system offering 'cold' laser cutting for manufacturers of such medical devices as cardiovascular stents. The system cuts sensitive materials such as gold, platinum, shape-memory alloys, and low-melting-point polymers precisely without thermal effects. These capabilities are enabling new medical device designs while improving quality and manufacturing costs of existing products, according to the companies.

"We are seeing an explosion of innovation in the medical device market powered by Raydiance," remarks Barry Schuler, the company's chairman and CEO. "But as customers move from design to manufacturing, they require 21st-century solutions that integrate sophisticated motion control, beam delivery, visioning systems, and software for their factory floors. Rofin is a bold innovator and the clear worldwide leader in integrated laser processing solutions. We are thrilled with Rofin's decision to partner with Raydiance. This is a significant validation both for Raydiance and for ultrafast laser technology."

The following video shows a 1.5-mm-OD nitinol stent being machined using the StarCut Tube Femto.