Currently, there is a growing interest in the Chinese marketplace to develop tubing for diagnostic and interventional devices used in endovascular procedures. Commonly used devices include diagnostic, guide and balloon catheters for coronary, peripheral and neurovascular procedures.
Medical device companies are designing catheters with smaller dimensions and tighter tolerances, and requesting quick turnaround on prototypes to accelerate time-to-market. Fast lead times on precision extrusions and the ability to quickly scale to production quantities are hallmarks of Dunn’s service offering.
Natvar is recognized as a leader in PVC and non-PVC tubing solutions including multilayer combinations, as well as anti-kinking options. Its recently-launched microextrusion and silicone tubing solutions will also be featured at CMEF.
Medical-grade compounder Colorite will be discussing medical device commercialization trends for its Cellene® line of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds. While PVC compounds still command the majority of market share, TPE alternatives are ideal for those desiring non-PVC containing materials to address regulatory pressures. The material is gaining traction globally in a number of applications—such as drip chambers, IV tube and peristaltic pump tubing — looking for alternatives to PVC and silicone.
Also featured will be TekniMD™ PX films, a series of proprietary high-performance, thermoformable copolyester films that provide an alternative to PETG for medical device packaging. Standard PX film is suitable for form, fill and seal applications, while PX MED has superior denesting characteristics and is used as a substitute for silicone-coated PETG. For more info, visit www.tekni-plex.com
