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| Crosshead specifically designed for multi-lumens |
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| Crosshead adapter on a two inch extruder |
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| Crosshead bullet with a multi-lumen male die and adjustable lumen needles |
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| Another view of my Multi-lumen Crosshead with adjustable needles. |
Tooling And Extrusion Highlights:
*Medical Cut Technology:
There are great on-line cutter manufacturers who produce versatile cutters; however, I have not found any that produce
the quality cuts I require for the medical extrusion industry. Through years of research, I have developed my own hardened
cutter die designs and blade configurations that repeatedly produce clean square medical cuts.
*Extrusion Head Technology:
My concept of straight heads and crossheads is to design them with as few parts as possible, but also make them versatile
enough to extrude any material. They are economical to build, user-friendly, contain less seams, easy to clean, smooth flow
transitions, and capable of handling a multitude of extrusion challenges. They can be adapted to any extruder up to a
3.5 inch.
*Chuck's Multi-lumen Dies:
Multi-lumens are a great challenge, but wouldn’t it be fantastic if adjustments relating to die configuration could
be made during the set-up? I have this option designed into my multi-lumen dies... Each lumen needle can be independently
adjusted.
*Breaker Plates:
Has anyone really taken a good look at the breaker plates supplied with new extruders? They are not designed for extruding
medical components. They have too much hang-up, which creates black specks, especially with PVC resins. I have engineered
my own breaker plates to prevent hang-up, producing a consistent flow and glass-clear medical PVC tubing.
*Standard Tubing Dies:
Repeatedly, I’ve heard the same story about extrusion companies purchasing extrusion heads from various manufacturers
and end up with tubing dies that are not interchangeable. My standard tubing dies are interchangeable between my straight
head and cross head. My male tubing dies that measure smaller than .246 diameter have a built in defense against damage,
making them economical to repair. I do not incorporate wrench flats on my male dies, which produce material hang-up,
they are assembled and removed with an expander wrench of my own design.
*Melt Pumps:
I do not care for melt pumps, nor do I use them for extruding medical products.
I believe they are a bandage for worn out extruders... Or poorly designed extruders. They generally offer no advantages, they
are expensive to maintain, and difficult to clean. In my opinion; melt pumps are a waste of money, and please do not let anyone
try to fool you in believing they offer a closer tolerance range. They may provide a slightly more even out-put, but I do
mean slight. My heads, breaker plates, adaptors, and dies are designed to give me the ability to hold tight tolerances required
for the medical device industry.
*Turn-Key Extrusion Lines:
What do I think of purchasing a turn-key extrusion line for manufacturing a multitude of medical extruded components,
such as multi-lumens catheters?
I personally believe you’d be wasting a ton of money! That’s why I prefer to turn-my-own-key and individually
purchase each extrusion line component… the Extruder, Water Tank (or Vacuum Tank), Puller, Cutter, Precision Air Controller,
etc. I incorporate my own designed Heads, Dies, Breaker Plates, Adapters, etc. This greatly reduces the cost of purchasing
a turn-key extrusion line by as much as sixty percent.
Medical device companies
who establish in-house extrusion for manufacturing and R&D have a fantastic advantage over the others, and can save a
great deal of money, but their extrusion line (or lines) needs to have the versatility to easily move from one job to the
next. The extrusion dies should be interchangeable, the heads user-friendly, and they’ll require an extrusion engineer
who can design their extrusion dies.
If I was extruding the same medical
product twenty-for hours a day, five days a week, then I might consider purchasing a turn-key line; however, a turn-key line
limits your ability for future in-house development, greatly increases set-up time for changeovers, and you’re monetarily
slaved in with the company who sold you the turn-key extrusion line. Many companies who sell turn-key lines incorporate an
expensive melt-pump and computerized system, which drastically hampers future R&D of medical extrusions for new or improved
devices, and they greatly increase set-up times when trying to use the same extruder to extrude a multitude of medical extruded
products per week. A well-made extruder, utilizing a high-quality head, dies, and a proper screen pack, doesn’t require
a costly melt pump and computerized system to hold the tight tolerances required for the medical device industry.
Please check back often... I'll be adding more medical extrusion information.
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