Confluent Medical (formerly Nitinol Devices & Components “NDC”), Fremont, Calif., launches the High-Performance Nitinol Tubing Center of Excellence in response to increasing market demand for high-performance nitinol tubing in challenging applications such as transcatheter heart valves, and neurovascular, electrophysiology, and interventional pulmonary devices.
The Center of Excellence supports Nitinol component manufacturers who require the highest performance in Nitinol durability, fatigue-resistance, surface finish, and tight tolerances. World-class internal capabilities include:
—Custom-melted Nitinol material with exceptionally high purity that provides superior cyclical fatigue durability;
—Wide range of Nitinol tubing sizes and tolerances;
—Nitinol tubing in diameters that exceed 10 mm, which is often utilized in complex transcatheter mitral or aortic valve components;
—Precise Nitinol tubing processes, including gun-drilling, centerless grinding, and machining;
—Superior surface finish, an optimal surface on the OD and ID that allows for ideal component manufacturing.
The acquisition of Tube Hollows International in February has been a key piece in the development of the Center of Excellence. It is the leader in precision gun-drilling of Nitinol tube hollows. Additionally, the company brings world-class capabilities in centerless grinding and precision machining.
The Center of Excellence is ideally set up to support medical device companies that require world-class Nitinol tubing for their designs for long-term implantable applications within the heart and other critical structures.
