Catheter Braiding, Coiling And Reinforcement
During many catheter builds, after the liner has been placed over the mandrel, braid reinforcement is then added. Braiding provides strengthening and mechanical reinforcement to the catheter and is a key component in determining the final performance characteristics of the device. While most catheters are produced with metal braiding, advances in polymer technology have led to the development of improved monofilament and fiber braiding.
PEEK Drawn Fiber
PEEK drawn fiber has significant advantages for catheter construction and outperforms almost all other plastic or polymer braiding media, even rivaling stainless steel in some areas. Because PEEK is a non-metal, however, catheters made with PEEK drawn fiber are compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – a highly preferred trait.
Key Benefits:
- MRI Compatible
- Excellent Fatigue Resistance
- High Dielectric Strength
Catheters made with PEEK drawn fiber show excellent torque transmission, pushability, and distal end deflectability. PEEK is available in both round and rectangular profiles.
PEEK Fiber Specifications |
|||
| DIAMETER | 0.010″ (0.254 mm) |
0.011″ (0.279 mm) |
0.016″ (0.406 mm) |
| OD TOLERANCE | ± 0.0015″ (± 0.0381 mm) |
± 0.0015″ (± 0.0381 mm) |
± 0.0015″ (± 0.0381 mm) |
| MIN. TENSILE STRENGTH | 4 lbs | 5.5 lbs | 11 lbs |
| MIN. ELONGATION @ BREAK | 18% | 18% | 20% |
| MAX. ELONGATION @ BREAK | 30% | 30% | 35% |
| MIN. SHRINKAGE | 3% | 3% | 2% |
| MAX. SHRINKAGE | 5% | 5% | 6% |
Other Braiding Materials
We also offer other non-metallic braiding materials that you may find helpful, including:
- FEP
- ETFE
- PFA
- PVDF
- Nylons