Published Articles
Pump Up Balloon Tubing Process
Kenny Mazzarese/ October 18, 2011
Balloon forming is a science-based, advanced manufacturing process in which every step must be performed with the highest precision to achieve the desired results. These steps include selecting and preparing raw materials, preformed parison sizing, balloon extrusion, and balloon forming.
Micro-Sized Components for Medical Extrusion
Fernando L. Lopez/ MDT Medical Design Technology/ August 10, 2011
Miniature-sized components are critical for medical devices being developed today. One important component fabrication option that enables tight component tolerances is extrusion. Whether for tubing or components, this process offers a number of benefits to engineers. This article reviews several distinct advantages of using this process that every engineer should know.
Medical Balloon Tubing: Lessons Learned
Precise extrusion methodology is the secret to superior performance of medical balloon tubing.
By Josef Stupecky/ Founder and CTO of Interface Catheter Solutions/ Medical Device Now/ January 28, 2011
As a medical balloon contract manufacturer for the past 15 years, we have accumulated substantial understanding of the issues linked to balloon quality and balloon production yields. Clearly, high balloon tubing quality is an essential precondition to high balloon quality and production yields. To meet our demand for high-quality tubing, we decided to develop our own extruded balloon tubing processes. During the last four years, the extruded balloon tubing process development has produced a 10 to 40 percent improvement in balloon production yields.
Extrusion Evolution
Extrusion customers want tighter tolerances, better performance and lower cost.
by Mark Crawford / Medical Product Outsourcing / March 2010
Results need to be reproducible and predictable. For balloon tubing extrusion, that means proving dimensional capability in the tenths of thousandths and being able to maintain tensile characteristics within 5 percent. “As an example, we have used other commercially available tubing and have seen significant variation in lot-to-lot tensile properties, up to as much as 40 percent,” said Mazzarese. “By specifically targeting this property and controlling the extrusion process we can achieve ± 5 percent variation.”
Extruded Tubing Designed for Balloon Production
By Eric Mabry / Vice President Sales & Marketing Interface Catheter Solutions / MD&DI September 2008
Producing balloons used for angioplasty catheters calls for tubing that has more stringent requirements than that used for other uses, such as catheter body or strain relief. To ensure that the proper tubing is selected, it is essential to understand the requirements for balloons as well as the balloon-forming process.
Balloon Catheters Present Unique Design Challenges
by Ronelle Decker / Marketing Manager Interface Catheter Solutions/ Medical Design/ May 2009
Careful consideration of balloon materials and characteristics start with the need for specialty balloon tubing with consistent lot-to-lot characteristics, a critical factor for driving yield improvement in medical balloon manufacturing. It is a key process for achieving precise tubing dimensions. High-quality specialized balloon tubing can improve balloon yields and functional requirements.