Finding the Right Partner for your Catheter Design and Material Selection

Catheter design and materials selection greatly influences a device’s strength, flexibility, and performance across various diagnostic procedures. However, getting those steps right can be incredibly difficult—at least without the right expert guidance along the way. 

In this article, we’ll share some expertise we’ve gained along the way for sourcing the optimal catheter design and materials.

Design with Manufacturability and Performance in Mind

As we’ve discussed before, it’s imperative you kickstart your project with the idea of designing for manufacturability and performance in mind. When you’re conceptualizing your catheter, it’s essential you are as strategic as possible, considering both cost and performance when choosing materials, dimensions, and other specifications.

Considering the specific manufacturing and performance requirements early on in the project—particularly during product concept development—can save your business unnecessary time and money, ensuring your catheter design is ideal from the development stage. Keeping regulatory requirements in mind from day one will also help minimize risk and ensure compliance throughout the lifecycle of your project.

Research the Different Catheter Materials Available

There are a number of different catheter materials available, and it’s important to understand the benefits and applications of each one. When designing a new catheter, you need to select high-performance materials that complement your design. For optimal performance, it’s critical to consider the biological, physical, and chemical characteristics of polymers, as well as emerging manufacturing processes.

Each catheter design project requires the selection of polymers, as well as shaft, reinforcement, filler, radiopaque, and finishing materials. The tricky part of this is choosing the right options. At Teleflex Medical OEM, our materials experts have compiled a number of educational resources to inform you of the different materials involved in catheter design. 

Plus, unlike other medical device manufacturers who typically offer only a few catheter components, we bring all the latest innovations together to build a market-ready device that’s designed for optimal performance. Not to mention that you can count on us to enhance your catheter’s design, develop fully functional prototypes, help you navigate compliance and regulatory requirements, and scale up for manufacturing.

Find a Partner for High-Performance Design and Materials

Even armed with the information we’ve provided, you need to work with people who know the ins and outs of medical device development and design. At Teleflex Medical OEM, our mix of experienced medtec engineers, material and polymer experts, and skilled technicians have the vast capabilities, deep expertise, and decades of experience to provide innovative catheter development and manufacturing services.

Following the concept development stage, Our IDEA (Innovation, Development, Engineering Accelerator) Medtec® Process incorporates:

• Concept drawings

• A draft bill of materials (BOM) for each prototype

• An outline of technical challenges for each concept

• Estimated cost and lead-time quotes for the initial build

Then, we bring together industry experts and cutting-edge technologies to accelerate custom catheter development and innovation, helping you design for cost-effective manufacturing and optimal performance across a number of applications.

Entrust the Experts to Get Your Catheter Design Right

Enlisting expert support to source the right design specs and materials for your catheter will help you achieve your cost and performance objectives, while also avoiding the potential mishaps that come with over-engineering.

Looking for expert guidance to help bring your project idea to life? Get in touch with Teleflex Medical OEM to speak with one of our industry-leading experts in catheter design and development.