As healthcare markets in the Asia-Pacific region have grown, so has Davis-Standard’s ability to support those markets. The company recently expanded its polymer process laboratory at its subsidiary in Suzhou to provide customers with the ability to develop new medical tubing products and test resins. In addition to development and testing, customers are able to contract small-scale production runs prior to making large capital equipment investments.
Medical OEM’s are continually forced to develop new products with smaller diameters, thinner walls, and more complex lumens to meet today’s clinical requirements. The Suzhou lab is equipped with a micro-bore extrusion line capable of single and multi-lumen tubing with up to three layers in the wall and as small as 2 French in diameter. This technology is designed for multiple applications including tubing for intravenous and micro dialysis catheters, endotracheal, tracheotomy and radio opaque products.
The line features direct drive 19mm and 24mm single screw extruders, each with a polymer melt pump, a sophisticated three-layer spiral flow tubing die, and PLC line control with data acquisition. The line provides precision vacuum tank sizing for both rigid and flexible products, closed loop ID/OD control via ultrasonic gauging, a servo controlled combination puller/cutting system, and a transport conveyor with single-zone air eject.
A single layer tubing line for the production of FPVC tubing for IV and fluid delivery applications is also available to support another growing market in China. Products ranging in size from 2mm OD to 10mm OD can be produced with an accuracy of +/- 50u at line speeds up to 100mpm. Line components include a 63mm 24:1 extruder, stainless steel tubing die, 8-meter water-cooling tank, OD gauge with closed loop feedback to a precision internal air supply, combination puller-cutter, and transport conveyor with single-zone air eject.
For more information about the lab or to schedule a trial, contact Jinsong Lin, General Manager of the Suzhou facility at +86-512-6269 5108 or via e-mail at jlin@davis-standard.com.