The Maillefer IV medical tube extrusion line remains our classic product. It’s what customers have long asked for. It’s what we continue to deliver – high-performance fully equipped lines, from extrusion to coiling, dedicated to produce soft intravenous tube for the big names in the industry. Yet, today’s landscape has changing. There is so much more to offer.
Our medical applications have grown to include multi-lumen, processing for a range of materials like TPEs, PVC, and PFAS-free formulations, and triple-layer co-extrusion. The synergies coming from privileged partnerships with world-leading partners and suppliers are proving beneficial. The result means more to offer customers alongside the Maillefer classic.
The recent years have seen exciting developments in the portfolio destined for medical use. Our model line for producing short lengths of four-lumen Pebax® tube is operational in our Swiss facilities. We use it to run trials and for demonstration purposes.
The complete, fully integrated line is equipped with our extrusion group and entire downstream supply. All components, from extruder, vacuum calibration to precision cutter, are engineered and offered by us, from a single source.
Progress in material processing continues as customers seek alternatives to PVC. Here, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is one avenue being exploited. Our screw and barrel designs offer the optimum processing solutions for these formulations. Our extruder design, crosshead and complete downstream configuration are revisited to meet the specific constraints for processing TPE.
Another product in the mix is triple-layer co-extrusion. Here customers take advantage of our multi-layer expertise to produce tube with a filler, tie, or barrier material, while the inner and outermost layers serve to meet strict medical requirements. In terms of tube constructions, we propose both single as well as multi-layer extrusion heads with or without striping.
In addition to the above, the performance of our classic PML extrusion line for IV tube is improved. For example, we have optimized the entire cooling section and its footprint on the shop floor. The line is typically geared for a constant uninterrupted speed of 300 m/min. Even in compact layouts, high speeds are attainable with reliability and product quality.
Thanks to cooperation with the world’s leading medical device manufacturers, innovations on medical IV tube surface finish and for conditioning are here. Advantages are speed increase and product optimization that are carried over to the manufacturing processes located downstream.
Multi-lumen Pebax® construction
We have made place for customers to come and see our medical line solutions for themselves in our R&D Center in Switzerland. We are calling upon chosen partners in material, measurement, and ancillary supply to actively participate in this future in-house event. Indeed, we have programmed our upcoming symposium and have it on the 2026 calendar. Invitations to attend this Spring are now going out to a select group of leading names in the medical tube manufacturing industry.
Pascal Scaramuzzino, PhD
Product Manager, Pipe & Tube Business Unit
pascal.scaramuzzino@maillefer.net