Exxelia Micropen
The Printing Technology
for Medical Devices
Are you looking to add sensor functionality to your
medical device design?
Turn Medical Devices into Smart Devices with our Conductive Printing Capabilities
If techniques such as pad printing, inkjet, and screen printing can’t meet your requirements, Exxelia Micropen’s technology could be your solution.
The ability to print precision electronics right on your endotracheal tube, balloon catheter, ablation probe or other medical device will enable you to perform functions such as:
- Deliver electromagnetic fields of energy to pinpoint locations - Conduct multiple channels of electrical signal
- Sense nerves and other physical variables
- Create radiopaque markers for visualization and navigation
- Perform mechanical actions
Read our whitepaper to learn about choosing the right technology and see five criteria for a successful project.
Our offer
By directly printing functional materials, devices are more reliable, less costly, and offer improved aesthetics and ergonomics. Imagine integrating sensors on your device in locations where conventional technologies could never previously address; or, delivering precise doses of drugs to target areas knowing the exact orientation and location of your device.
Endotracheal Tube
Our printing capability allows for the integration of printed sensors onto endotracheal tubes for sensing temperature, nerve monitoring and patient monitoring. The result is a “smart tube.”
Electrosurgical Devices
Traditional subtractive printing technologies create precious metal (gold, silver, platinum) waste which adds to product cost. Our additive printing capability eliminates precious metal (gold, silver, platinum) waste.
Balloon Catheters
Conformal printing is a competitive advantage of Exxelia Micropen. Substrates may be hard, soft, or 3-D. Materials ranging in viscosity from 5 to 500,000 centipoise can be printed on the outside or the inside of a substrate. Printing characteristics include the ability to dispense linewidths down to 50microns and line spacing to 25microns with very low profiles.
Ablation
Printed ablation features can be applied to deliver energy to a precise location. The same principles are utilized in cryo-ablation medical device printing
Visualization
Surgical safety is growing in importance in minimally invasive surgeries. Printing a radiopaque marker provides designers with greater flexibility than traditional placement of markers. Designers can choose from conductive, dielectric, adhesive, and radiopaque inks to create functional elements designed to meet the application requirements.
Our call to “Think it, Design it, Manufacture it” is more than a slogan. It’s how we work with our own teams and partners each and every day to bring your ideas into reality.
At Exxelia Micropen, we integrate material science + design engineering + printed electronics and the result is Exxelia Micropen technology. This proprietary technology is utilized to design and manufacture the most precise and stable designs in the industry.
Micropenning, a “direct write” technology, is Exxelia Micropen’s proprietary technique for manufacturing all of its products. This proprietary technique allows for the deposition of a wide range of material compositions with higher fidelity, accuracy, repeatability, and thickness control than can be achieved by other printing techniques.
50 ans
D'expérience
Dans le traitement des matériaux et de la méthodologie Micropen
Certifié
ISO / EN / AS
Tous les sites Exxelia sont certifiés ISO9001, EN9100 ou AS9100
10+
Applications
Dans les dispositifs médicaux, aérospatiaux, de défense et industriels
Expert
en conception personnalisée
de produits catalogues légèrement modifiés à des produits 100% spécifiques adaptés à vos besoins
FAQ
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about Micropen
Do they have an end-to-end process?
At Micropen we have expertise from design through manufacturing and responsive support throughout the product lifecycle. Our flexible printing manufacturing services can meet the needs of any company, from a start-up to a major OEM.
A full-service partner who can collaborate on product design, rapid prototyping, manufacturing, testing, and supply chain services is ideal. Consolidating all activities under one roof can reduce costs and time to market. It also allows for problems to be addressed quickly and eliminates the finger-pointing when multiple suppliers are involved. You should choose a partner who will complement your own team, adding value end-to-end.
Can they scale and respond to changes in demand?
It is important to choose a partner who can meet your production requirements now and into the future. The manufacturer should be agile and flexible in regard to your demand changes and able to meet your deliveries as agreed. This requires that they have a well-understood supply chain of raw materials and lead times. Make sure to ask about this when selecting a partner. At Exxelia Micropen we have the resources and experience to respond to growth and demand increases.
This is especially important in today’s roller-coaster supply chain economy. We have excellent partnerships with suppliers of ink, substrates, and other raw materials and have a well-established process for supply chain management and production scheduling.
Could you envision them as a long-term partner and collaborator?
The most successful partnerships are long-term and collaborative. The resources on each team should have a shared understanding of the objectives and requirements,
and the chosen supplier should be seen as an extension of your team. This allows challenges to be solved quickly and assures that the project will be completed on time and within budget. Regular meetings, passing files back and forth, and engaging experts in different functions of the organization are all elements of a partnership and lead to the success of the project. Your partner should be proactively communicating throughout the product lifecycle. Your partner may also consider investing in the partnership for the long-term. Over time, as you work together, you’ll be able to apply learnings and efficiency to not only one product but a portfolio of products in a cost-effective and optimized way.
At Exxelia Micropen, we are committed to working collaboratively, starting early in the product design stage. We will share with you our accomplishments, manufacturing controls, and quality assurance process steps. We want you to get to know us, and the earlier we can engage with you as an integrated partner to your design team, the better. Most of our customers have been with us for years and we value a platform approach where we can apply our learnings to product extensions and next-generation designs.
Do they have relevant experience in medical device design, prototyping, and production?
There are complex requirements in the healthcare industry, and a proven track record in the understanding of proper documentation, revision control, and maintenance of device history records and safety regulations will go a long way to ensure that your project is successful. An experienced partner can provide advice on design, suitableinks, techniques, and steps to optimize the process.
This can lead to valuable time and cost savings over the course of the project. There is no substitute for experience in partnering on the design and manufacturing of printed electronics for the implantable medical device market. Exxelia Micropen has over 25 years of experience in working with top-tier medical device companies, printing electronics on endotracheal tubes, ablation devices, balloon catheters, etc.
Our engineering and development teams have the necessary technical expertise, and our production, test, and quality teams understand what it takes to manufacture volume devices while maintaining competitive pricing. We understand that we are adding value to devices that will be used to save or enhance a patient’s life.
