Spotlight on Tubing and Tube Processing Equipment

Originally Published MPMN May 2001

SPOTLIGHT

Spotlight on Tubing and Tube Processing Equipment

PTFE TubingA company offers single- and multilumen PTFE tubing. Radiopaque fillers can be added to allow use as a split sheath. PTFE monofilament and coated wire for medical use are also available. Other services include component assembly and thermoplastic and braided catheter extrusion. Fluortek Inc., 12 McFadden Rd., Easton, PA 18045.Vinyl TubingFlexible tubing is made from nontoxic PVC to offer good strength and kink resistance. Chemically resistant, the tubing is suited for handling corrosive, pure, and sensitive solutions. Inner diameters range from 1/16 to 1/2 in. and outer diameters span 1/8–5/8 in. A variety of colors are available. Ark-Plas Products Inc., P.O. Box 340, Hwy. 178 N., Flippin, AR 72634.Fluid Administration SetsFluid administration sets can include IV, extension, high-flow, or high-pressure tubing. A variety of tube lengths are available with check valves, spikes, luer adapters, and clamps. Connection options include vacuum, Y-site, stopcock, and O-ring designs. The products can be supplied in bulk, nonsterile, or individually sterile packaged. Radiation-resistant materials are available, and each unit can be custom designed to meet customer specifications. Burron OEM Div., B. Braun Medical Inc., P.O. Box 4027, Bethlehem, PA 18018.Tube ContainersSuited for pharmaceutical products and medical devices, custom tube containers are made from extruded plastic or spiral-wound paper. The tubes have inner diameters of 0.100–1.00 in. and are available in a range of colors and lengths. End configurations include thermally formed, sonically sealed, flat, or rolled. Lateral-seal polyester sleeves, packaging tubes, and printed tubes are also offered. Stone Industrial, 9207 51st Ave., College Park, MD 20740-1910.Silicone Pump TubesSilicone pump tubes are suited for precise delivery of fluids for pain management, insulin and chemotherapy injection, and laboratory applications. Each tube is molded to ensure consistent size and concentricity throughout its length. All products are designed to customer specifications. Production takes place at the company's QSR-controlled, FDA-audited facility. Vesta Inc., 5400 W. Franklin Dr., Franklin, WI 53132.Silicone TubingMedical-grade silicone tubing resists particle adherence and bacterial growth. Available standard or braid reinforced, the tubing handles temperatures of –100° to 500°F and can be peroxide or platinum cured. Inner diameters range from 0.12 to 1 in. All ingredients are nontoxic and meet USP Class VI requirements. NewAge Industries, 145 James Way, Southampton, PA 18966.Catheter DrillAn automated drill for making holes in catheters uses a touch screen graphic interface that increases capacity and eases programming. Simultaneously directing the x- and rotary axes, the user-programmable controls of the Smart Driller 2001 allow good throughput, automated quill feed, and pattern storage and recall. Standard travel length is 8 in. for the x-axis and 1–4 in. for the y-axis. Password protection isolates higher setup functions from daily operations. The standard three-axis system can be expanded for four-axis applications. Technical Innovations Inc., 20714 Hwy. 36, Brazoria, TX 77422.Tube WinderAccommodating product with outer diameters of 1/8–1/4 in., a processing system automatically coils, cuts, and tapes plastic tubing. The QC 3000 Quill Coiler makes finished coils with diameters of 2–5 in. at speeds up to 60 coils per minute. The cutting mechanism uses a sinusoidal sling action that makes square cuts. The taping station provides tension-regulated payout and roller-clutch tape feed. Other features include PLC controls, a touch screen interface, and a gear belt drive. Kuntz Manufacturing Company, Inc., 2614 Rousselle St., Santa Ana, CA 92707.Tube-Flaring SystemA benchtop system with no moving parts flares the ends of tubing made with difficult-to-expand materials. Accepting product with inner diameters of 0.062–0.250 in., the machine has a mandrel that heats to 600°F and does not produce split ends. A foot switch controls the compressed air used for cooling. Enclosed in aluminum, the unit measures 10.25 x 6.5 x 6.5 in. A variety of mandrel shapes and sizes are available. Medical Murray, a div. of Murray Inc., 1294 Barclay Blvd., Buffalo Grove, IL 60089.Catheter TippersTwo machines weld, form, and tip catheters from most thermoplastics. The Cath-Pro I and II machines heat to 450°F in 1 second and have good design flexibility. With a stepping motor that ensures consistency and precision, the Cath-Pro II is suited for tight-tolerance products. Equipment controls allow multiple projects to be run on the same machine with one-step changeover. Rubicon Medical Inc., 2064 W. Alexander St., Salt Lake City, UT 84119.Laser Cutting SystemA laser cutting system performs automated cutting on tubes and stents with inner diameters of 0.5–10 mm. Featuring motorized rotation and positioning axes, the unit uses a pulsed Nd:YAG laser that is gentle to the material being cut. The machine can produce complex geometries with cut widths to 20 µm. Power can be changed during the cutting process to suit processing speed. Observation windows and a binocular system allow observation of the machining process. An optional camera system is available. Rofin-Sinar Inc., 45701 Mast St., Plymouth, MI 48170.

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