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Control Micro Systems (CMS) has developed turnkey laser marking and cutting systems for the medical industry. The company’s Ytterbium fiber (1,064-nm), frequency-doubled Nd:YVO4 (532-nm) and frequency-tripled Nd:YVO4 (355-nm UV) lasers effectively mark both LDPE and HDPE materials. This capability is beneficial for manufacturers of products such as endoscopic guidewire devices, which are frequently marked with brand and model information as well as measurement scales. The results are sharp, durable and represent a cost savings compared to inkjet or pad printing processes, CMS says.

The high-power Ytterbium fiber laser can also be used to terminate and seal-braid 304 and 316 stainless guide wire that is pulled from a reel and cut to length. The laser not only cuts through the braided steel, but welds the individual strands together to prevent unraveling, creating a semispherical tip on each end. 

Another potential application is the cutting of eyelets at the ends of latex catheters. According to CMS, the eyelets can be cut with little to no debris or remelt material. Instead, the latex in the eye can be ablated using the company’s CO₂ (10,640-nm) laser with high-speed galvanometer beam delivery to completely remove all material in under a second.