A fresh perspective in guidewire design

A fresh perspective in guidewire design

Learn how TE works with our customers from concept to commercialization, and support our design process with a complete range of in-house development and testing capabilities.

As the industry's 2nd largest contract manufacturer for guidewires, more than 3 million guidewire products and assemblies are provided by TE each year. In conjunction with our deep expertise in guidewire manufacturing, our design team provide innovative guidewire solutions from simple vascular guidewires to complex applications. Working with our client from concept to commercialization, we support our design process with a complete range of in-house development and testing capabilities. Our design team relish complex guidewire challenges, from custom pre-shaped guidewires for TAVI and Mitral Valve applications to low profile neurovascular wires. Complex guidewire applications call for an optimized balance in performance, summarized below.

Optimized balance

Complex guidewire applications call for an optimized balance in performance, summarized here

 

Trade Offs Technical Solutions

Distal Tip

Tip stiffness v track

End finish v cost

Access, Support or Delivery; Soft to medium tip stiffness; Conventional or standard tip end finish & cost

Coil & corewire tip design, shapeability, radiopacity

Laser, Plasma welding; molding; atraumatic

Main Body

Stiffness - balance of track, kink resistance, pushability, torqueability

Normal to standard stiffness; purpose and level of rail support necessary

Corewire profile & material; Coil & material (heat treat); Mulit-material; Variable stiffness customization

Transition; Customize torque control & direction

Lubricity

Cost v Deliverability

Marginal moderate, high level of lubricity necessary for delivery v cost Hydrophilic; Hydrophobic; Silicone; Parylene