Putnam Plastics Corporation, a PolyMedex Discovery Group company opens a new center for printing medical tubing used in catheter devices. The center includes dedicated equipment and staff to provide custom print development and production printing for a wide range of catheter designs and materials.
Minimally invasive catheter shafts, such as those used in for interventional radiology and cardiology, are comprised of extruded thermoplastic or thermoset materials, depending on the medical device requirements. Catheter devices often require printing along the length and around the circumference of the shaft with markers for use in medical procedures. Instructional markings, device company information, or other information may also be required on the shafts.
As minimally invasive devices continue to increase in use and applications, the demand for printed catheter tubing used in these devices has also increased. At the same time, medical device companies are increasingly looking for vendors who are able to provide multiple services, thereby reducing the number of vendors and the supply chain. These trends have created demand for Putnam’s combined expertise in extrusion and printing which has resulted in the need for a dedicated printing center.
Putnam’s 47 m2 (500 ft2) printing operation is in a climate controlled room and has the capability of maintaining temperature and humidity to ensure repeatable printing processes. The center, located in the company’s primary manufacturing facility in Dayville, CT, is adjacent to extrusion and polyimide operations for continuous manufacturing flow from tube manufacture to final printing.
The center currently houses four dedicated pad printers capable of printing catheter shafts up to 80 cm (32 in) in length with 360 degree printing roll options. The facility has plasma heat surface treatment equipment for preparation of hard surfaces of resins such as PEEK and polyimide before printing and a variable temperature oven with conveyor for ink curing after printing.