When it comes to medical extrusion wire, stainless steel core wire is the best option. Our stainless-steel core wire, ELASTICORE® is highly durable and is the ideal material for core wire. Before we begin talking about the benefits of choosing stainless steel, it is important to provide insight into how core wire is used in the medical industry. Core wire is a single end wire which is commonly used as a place holder or mandrel during the medical tubing extrusion process. After the tubing polymer has been extruded, core wire is elongated to decrease the wire’s diameter. Finally, the wire is slid of its ‘sheathing’ and you are left with a round tube for medicine delivery, device insert, guide wire, or other technical applications.
In today’s blog we will be looking at three reasons why we recommend stainless steel core wire over other material options. The three main reasons are reducing lead times, reducing cost, and eliminating potential contamination.
Reduces Lead Time:
As Loos and Company has a large manufacturing facility, we have the capability of keeping numerous items in-stock or can turn around quotations quickly! Stainless steel has also been found to have a higher yield when force was applied to both stainless steel and Sil-Cop wire meaning its strength properties will mean your core wire will last longer and you will not be requiring frequent replacements!
Reduces Cost:
Stainless steel is a solid material, whereas silver clad or tin clad copper are materials that consist of numerous materials. As process of working with stainless steel does involve a ton of steps in the manufacturing process, it can be cheaper than these options that combine different materials together.
Eliminating Potential Contamination:
When it comes to extrusion, having flaking contamination from materials can be a huge issue. Some materials are prone to flaking and this increases the potential for contamination and bacteria in medical tubing. As this can be a serious problem, we recommend choosing stainless steel as the material eliminates potential flaking.
Now that you have an understanding about why to choose stainless steel over other materials in core wire, check out Loos and Company’s ELASTICORE® Medical Extrusion Wire! We have a detailed white paper on our website that outlines the advantages of stainless steel as a core wire material and an option to fill out a quotation. Check it out on our product page here. Alternatively, if you have any questions, our team is happy to help! Reach out to us by email at sales@loosco.com or by phone at (860) 928-7981.