“Catheters used for cardiac surgery require medical-grade polymers that can meet key criteria, including radiopacity,” noted Bike Qiu, chief technology officer, FinLumen Inc. (Beijing). “When we were unable to find suitable materials, we turned to NEU, a company known for custom solutions, processing expertise and extensive knowledge of medical device regulations. The custom solution enabled us to improve the quality, performance and appearance of our catheters and reduce scrap while cutting overall costs for the customer.”
PolyOne Corporation and NEU Specialty Engineered Materials collaborated with FinLumen to develop a material formulation with better performance, processability, part quality and appearance for a minimally invasive surgical catheter. NEU, a leading provider of polymer solutions for healthcare device manufacturers worldwide, worked with Demax Medical Technology Co., Ltd. to develop the specialty material that meets end use and regulatory requirements while reducing scrap rates by 50%..
In addition to a specific material for its catheters, FinLumen was looking for a materials supplier that could provide guidance in plastics processing, material selection and regulatory compliance for extruded products.
The custom solution enabled FinLumen to produce catheters for Demax to the exacting specifications required for making extremely small-diameter tubing used in minimally invasive surgery.
PolyOne Corp.
www.polyone.com
Filed Under: Medical-device manufacture, Materials • advanced