04.09.12
There’s a new type of medical tubing available from Putnam Plastics Corporation. The Dayville, Conn.-based company has released a clear polyimide tubing for medical applications that require visual monitoring, ultraviolet transparency or imaging transmission. Unlike traditional dark, amber polyimide—which has limited pigmenting options—the clear version can be tinted in colors previously unavailable in the material. Such an assortment of hues allows designers to use colors for aesthetics or device branding, for instance. The new material features a tensile strength of 17,000 psi (117 MPa) and flexural modulus of 550,000 psi (3,792 MPa). Putnam claims the tubing also is extremely resistant to wear, heat, radiation and electrical arcing. The polyimide tubing targets precision catheter lumens and shafts and can be produced with wall thickness as low as 0.0005 in. (0.0127 mm.) and tolerances of +/- 0.0002 in. (0.005 mm.). “Unlike flexible nylons and polyurethanes commonly used in catheters, polyimide has higher mechanical properties necessary for specialized catheter lumens and shafts,” says Ray Rilling, R&D director at Putnam. “Our clear polyimide provides new design options as a transparent tube, including UV light transmission for curing adhesives in catheter assemblies.” Clearly, a colorful win for design engineers.
More info:
(860) 774-1559
ext. 124
www.putnamplastics.com