In manufacturing custom medical extrusion components, Proterial Cable America High-Performance Medical Solutions (PCA-HPMS) needs consistent, reliable materials that our customers can rely on. Although we use a wide variety of thermoplastic compounds, here are five materials that are the workhorse variety for our customers:
Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) is a highly elastic and resilient compound known for its exceptional abrasion resistance and ability to endure low temperatures. TPU can be extruded, molded, and colored, and it offers versatile post-processing options, including welding, printing, and die-cutting.
The majority of the catheters made by HPMS are TPU. PICCS, Dialysis tubing, injection lines, and drainage catheters are also made with TPU.
PEBAX® is a polyether block amide (PEBA). It is a block copolymer, which means it is made of blocks in a row and blocks can have different characteristics than the blocks beside them. In PEBAX, the blocks run the gamut of being hard or soft. So PEBAX has the ability to be either flexible and soft or rigid and hard.
PEBAX is a steady-use material for PCA-HPMS. Because of the number of grades, PEBAX is very popular for a wide variety of components, including multi-lumen tubing, custom design shapes, and balloon catheters.
They can both be colored. They can both be molded. There are multiple grades from soft to hard with both materials.
Nylon is the commercial name for a group of polyamides that make up a thermoplastic polymer. It is a popular performance fiber. Known for its durability and stretchability as well as its chemical resistance, Nylon is appropriate for use in medical products that need lightweight, strong but bendable materials.
Because Nylon is a rigid material, PCA-HPMS coverts it for balloon tubing, and it is integral for braided tubing applications.
PEEK is a high-performance plastic that can maintain its structure because of its chemical composition. Depending on the grade, it can be flexible but is typically hard. PEEK is high-heat, radiation and chemical resistant, and is a strong material that doesn’t wear easily.
PCA-HPMS uses PEEK whenever it needs a material that will remain strong even when thin. It is commonly used in thin wall extrusions.
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is a widely used plastic which is regularly blow-molded for containers for household chemicals but is also extruded as piping. HDPE is tough, has a natural UV barrier and offers chemical resistance.
PCA-HPMS makes nearly everything custom for our customers, and that means it requires custom packaging. HDPE is used for a lot of these packaging materials.
PCA-HPMS is a global contract manufacturer serving medical OEMs. We specialize in developing and producing extruded components and medical wire and cable in a wide range of compounds, tailored to custom shapes and sizes. Our components meet stringent standards to fulfill our customers’ specific regulatory and physical property requirements.
Contact us today or check out our website to learn more about our high-performance materials and how we can help you.
