Micro-process technologies for medical market

The development of minimally invasive surgery and the general miniaturization trend in medical require smaller and smaller medical devices and components. To answer market needs with its medical range NEWSENSE®, Nexans has developed new technologies to be able to produce and control miniature cables down to AWG52 conductors (20 microns diameter). As comparison, human hair diameter is from 50 to 100 microns!

• Fine tension regulation system have been developed and installed at each step of the cable production process (wire insulation, assembling, shielding, jacketing) to avoid any thin wires elongation or deformation and to provide consistent geometry. The pull force over wires in line can be controlled down to several grams, that makes possible the stranding of AWG52 conductors or the shielding by 15 microns wires diameter 
• New jacketing technology using micro-extruder with material output less than 1g/min has been developed. That process allows to reduce our cable outer jacket thickness down to 15 microns which is prominent for space saving design
• Non destructive and contact free measurement system have been installed in production lines in order to detect micro defects (down to 5 microns size) and to control, along 100% cable length, the dimensions, the geometry and the dielectric strength of insulation with perfect reliability.