Sascha Weiler, program manager, microprocessing, at laser technology specialist Trumpf Inc. (Farmington, CT), will present "High-Power, Ultrafast Lasers Enable Cutting of Current and Next-Generation Cardiovascular Devices" at the MD&M Minneapolis Innovation Briefs Theater on Wednesday, November 2, at 12:40 pm.

MPMN: What topics will you address in your presentation?

Weiler: The presentation will discuss how ultrafast lasers can enable cutting of next-generation cardiovascular devices, such as stents, for example. We will begin with covering the principle of so-called 'athermal,' or 'cold,' processing with ultrafast lasers and then examine a benchmark with state-of-the art technology for cutting cardiovascular devices. Finally, we will conclude with an outlook on next-generation cardiovascular devices that may use nonmetal materials such as bioabsorbable polymers.

MPMN: What aspects of next-generation cardiovascular device development will these high-power, ultrafast lasers enable that perhaps weren't previously possible?

Weiler: Laser cutting was previously limited to metallic devices and involved several manual postprocessing steps. High-power, ultrafast lasers enable users to process any kind of material with a quality level that makes the need for postprocessing operations obsolete.
 
MPMN: What is the key takeaway from your presentation for medical device OEMs?

Weiler: The key takeaway is the fact that any kind of material can be processed, giving medical device OEMs unlimited degrees of freedom in tailoring cardiovascular device design. So-called 'athermal,' or 'cold,' processing without the need for manual postprocessing is cost-efficient and results in higher yields for medical device OEMs.