Coiled Guidewires for Medical Catheters

Amada Weld Tech, a manufacturer of welding, marking, cutting, sealing and bonding technology, highlights synergistic capabilities between Amada Press System and Amada Weld Tech that benefit customers making medical guidewire and coils. The combination of Amada Press System’s expertise in forming delicate wire structures and Amada Weld Tech’s proficiency in micro-welding and laser processing creates a comprehensive solution for medical device manufacturers.

Amada Press System’s WH-2A, a 13-axis CNC dual-point coiling machine, excels in ultra-fine wire coil processing for medical guidewire formation. Ultra-fine wire coils can be processed at high-speed with precision and reduced setup time. Fine adjustments are easy with various adjustment mechanisms using servo motors. The wire cutting method switching mechanism allows operators to easily change between straight and rotary cut depending on the situation. Additionally, the MEC Spring-Forming Machine Division at Amada Press System offers several machines for coiling ultra-fine wire, including not only stainless steel but also platinum and PTFE-coated materials. 

This precision coiling process can be combined with Amada Weld Tech’s advanced options for welding coils, including arc welding and laser welding. Arc welding is often used for doming the ends of coiled wires, while laser welding can be used for doming as well as seam welding along the coils. Laser processing solutions, such as the WL-300A laser processing workstation for welding coiled guidewires are designed to enhance productivity for small and medium production volume medical device manufacturing processes. The system includes a laser, galvo scanning beam delivery optics, Z-axis motion, camera observation, and a CDRH Class 1 enclosure. See a video introduction to WL-300A.

“Previously, we were unable to fulfill customer requests for welding coils,” said Motoi Teranishi, MEC manager at Amada Press System. “However, through our collaboration between Amada Weld Tech and Amada Press System, we can now effectively address these needs”, added Mark Boyle, Director, Product Engineering and Applications, Amada Weld Tech. “Furthermore, with Amada Weld Tech’s exceptional customer service, we have grown beyond being just a machine manufacturer to becoming a trusted partner in solving our customers’ challenges. We are confident that this collaboration will allow us to deliver even greater value to our customers.”

(Source: Amada Weld Tech Inc.)