Specialty Extrusions & Catheter Shafts

Specialty Extrusions & Catheter Shafts

Intricon offers a broad range of specialty extrusions and catheter shafts to drive medical device innovation. Tri-layer coextrusions are an example of the cutting-edge capabilities of Intricon. They generally consist of a lubricious inner layer such as HDPE, a tie layer that serves as a bonding interface between the inner and outer layers and a high-performance polymer outer layer such as Nylon, PEBAX® or polyurethane.

Numerous lumen shapes and configurations are available including round, elliptical, star-shaped and crescent. Multi-lumen extrusions typically include 2-10 lumens, though as many as 21 have been manufactured in the past by our team. Materials such as PEBAX®, urethanes, nylons and PEs are held in inventory for quick-turn availability. Our team also has the capability and experience to manufacture tubing using thermoplastics such as PEEK®,ULTEM™ and RADEL®. Clinical applications for Intricon specialty extrusions and catheter shafts include cardiology, peripheral vascular, neurovascular, structural heart, pulmonology and more

Electromagnetic Navigational Sensors

Electromagnetic navigational sensors are a core technical capability at Intricon. Working with a complete range of ultra-fine wires and ferromagnetic core materials, we use our proprietary modeling and engineering systems to design and produce micro-coils that meet electromagnetic goals such as induction, resistance, sensitivity and localization performance. We also routinely work within size constraints dictated by the design of the medical device, utilizing our capabilities of winding down to 58 AWG wire (.00991 mm or .00039 inches), about one-third the diameter of a human hair. Finished micro-coils often fit through the eye of a needle.

Bonding the coil wire to slightly larger diameter wire — often a twisted pair that runs the length of the device — provides full-length connectivity. Intricon can also help you assemble the entire device, and many of these programs include embedded ROM chips that calibrate the location of the micro-coil within the finished device so that the device can plug in directly to the navigational systems used by physicians. Today, our electromagnetic navigational sensors are advancing a wide range of clinical applications in tip location sensing such as diagnostic applications, active implants and therapeutic applications such as electrophysiology AF mapping and ablation.

Microelectronics Assembly

In-market. On-time. On-budget. That’s the Intricon advantage. Decades of experience in microelectronics design and assembly combined with a focus on joint development manufacturing give you every advantage. Our engineers can guide your designs to ensure the highest performance and manufacturability. Then we use our state-of-the-art high-speed surface mount technology (SMT) pick-and-place machines to populate your flex circuits or printed circuit boards. If you have a need for ball bonding or wedge bonding, we have you covered with in-house capabilities for both technologies. Automated computer-controlled testing equipment is used to download your programs and perform electrical testing to verify that all requirements are met.

Both proprietary automation equipment and skilled hand assembly are available at our facilities in the United States, Singapore, and Indonesia. For the latest in microelectronic subassemblies and devices, Intricon can help you improve performance, provide higher yields and improve the cost structure of the manufacturing process.

Interventional Catheter Assembly

Intricon provides expertise and capabilities in advanced catheter and delivery systems and extrusion to support state-of-the-art, minimally invasive clinical procedures. Our expertise includes tight tolerance, thin wall extrusions, braided and coiled catheter shafts with deflectable tip options. Working with a full range of high-performance materials, Intricon’s interventional capabilities feature multiple durometer catheters with braid or coiled construction, tri-layer and multi-lumen extrusions, over-molding and jacketing.

Full-length connectivity and fine wire bonding let you engineer new and unique Interventional devices embedded with a range of sensors, electromagnetic micro-coils or various microchips at the distal tip. Our production environment includes more than 4,000 square feet of ISO 7 and ISO 8 clean room space, and we can package and ship fully assembled devices. Clinical applications for Intricon Clinical applications for Intricon interventional catheters include cardiology, peripheral vascular, neurovascular, oncology, structural heart and more.

Precision Miniature Molding

With decades of experience in miniature medical molding, Intricon routinely achieves tolerances of ±.0005 inches in compliance with ASTM and SPI standards while utilizing Scientific Injection Molding (SIM) practices. As a joint development manufacturer, we can support you every step of the way, from engineering, design, and prototyping to high volume production. We work with a broad range of materials such as polyether ether ketone (PEEK), nylon (PA), polypropylene (PP), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), acrylic (PMMA), polyoxymethylene (POM), polycarbonate (PC) and more.

Reel-to-reel molding techniques enhance the quality and cost-effectiveness of many insert- and injection-molded solutions, greatly reducing human error and providing labor savings by eliminating the need for handling. Reel-to-reel also facilitates feeding parts directly into our automation systems. Once the reel-to-reel molding process concludes, the product then can undergo a full range of secondary manufacturing operations such as welding, wire bonding, soldering, part numbering and/or singulation.

ULP DSP & Wireless Communications

Digital Signal Processing & Wireless Communication

With more than 20 years of experience designing and manufacturing components and devices for hearing health, electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring patches and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), Intricon is at the forefront of digital signal processing and wireless communications solutions that use industry-standard protocols like Bluetooth® and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as well as proprietary wireless technologies developed by Intricon.

As innovation continues for connecting people to each other and the devices around them, Intricon also offers expertise in ultra-low power systems for hearing aids and a range of other medical devices. Generally, these systems are built for specific hardware platforms and Intricon’s engineering and design expertise ensures the highest performance with integrated hardware and software solutions.