US Extruders is announcing two updates at the MD&M show in Anaheim, CA, April 12-14 (Booth 1450). With a continued focus on improving medical extruder technology to better meet the needs of the medical device market, the company will present the latest update to their MED-EX Modern MedicalExtruder line at the show.
One major key feature is the direct drive technology for precise speed control and quiet operation. There is no gearbox or belt drive, which eliminates gear oil and airborne dust particles from belts, which is especially important when extruding in a controlled manufacturing environment.
To meet the increasingly stringent quality requirements within the MedTech extrusion, US Extruders has developed virtual pressure measurement. Virtual pressure measurement eliminates transducer and rupture disc ports in the barrel and reduces stagnation points where material can degrade. Degraded material that ends up in medical tubing causes a weak point in the final device. This is especially important for applications that demand superior quality beyond dimensional requirements where maintaining mechanical properties is paramount. Examples include balloon tubing, heat shrink tubing and polymer stent tubing.
US Extruders has developed a custom “universal” barrier/mixing screw specifically designed for Nylon 12, PEBA and TPU reflow compounds that are commonly used for multi-durometre catheter jacketing applications. This screw design, combined with either pressure control or a melt pump, allows for optimal melt temperature uniformity and pressure stability better than 1%.
The company is also announcing the appointment of Steve Maxson as their new Innovation and Business Development Manager with a focus on developing extrusion solutions needed to support next generation medical technologies. Steve’s responsibilities will encompass implementing sales, marketing and product development programs.
Maxson joins the company bringing more than 20 years’ experience in medical extrusion, catheter manufacturing, and sales and marketing. He most recently served as the VP of Sales and Marketing at Custom Profile, a developer and manufacturer of specialty thermoplastic profile extrusions and sub-assemblies. Prior to that he was the VicePresident of Sales of a multi-site global division within Spectrum Plastics Group. He is a graduate of Wentworth Institute of Technology and holds an MBA from RensselaerPolytechnic Institute.
“We are all thrilled to have Steve on our team. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our team and we are looking forward to him driving our medical extrusion sales and marketing efforts to new heights,” said Dan Schilke, CEO.