Braid Reinforced Tubing – Things You Need To Know

22 March 21

Reinforced Braid Tubing

There are many things that come to mind when dealing with braid reinforced tubing. They are becoming quite popular in the medical field. Braid reinforced tubing is the new method in which technology is becoming a part of our lives. It carries paramount value.

Braid reinforced tubing makes use of silicon as a major component. This is why they have more durability and increased efficiency. Silicon plays an important role in different medical operations. This is because they enhance the equipment making. Most manufacturers are in need of medical tools that are compact in size yet functional at the same time.

Hence, a silicon braided reinforced tube is an adequate solution. They provide an outer compatible coating that is feasible in making advanced and compact solutions for the field of medicine. They are very helpful and carry operational significance.

Things You Need to Know about Reinforced Braided Tubing

The Reinforced Braided Tubing is a great way to develop biologically compatible, flexible, and durable medical tubes. These extruded tubes help achieve the accurate amount of precision and sophistication required in medical operations.

It is important to know about the know-how of braided medical tubes. The following are a few points that you need to identify and keep in mind when dealing with Braid reinforced tubing.

Spiral designs add kink resistance

As we already know, silicon is one of the most used elements in many tools, whether it is medical or any other field. It has the unique quality of being strong and soft at the same time. You can easily use silicone in the extrusion process.

But being a part of the extrusion process makes silicon inclined to get a kink. They are more prone to get a bend when extruded in smaller dimensions. A braided medical tube must be compact thus; tubes must be small as well. The diameter of the tube must have a point where the silicon enforcement takes place which allows the tube to bend.    This prevents the liquids to flow freely thus making a halt in the medical procedure.

In order to avoid this predicament, there is an upright solution. This is to implant mono-filaments in the shape of spirals or braids. This adds a circular kind of power to the design of the tube and strengthens the walls as well. This way, the silicon embedded tubes become very resistant to bending and external pressures.

Moreover, the availability of small-sized tubes in silicon comes in different variations of 1 by 8 inches to 3 by 16 inches. The filaments in the shape of spirals are tight and the best solution for resisting bends in tubes with smaller diameters.

Fortification

This fortification is a great method of adding radial power to the tubes that bend under pressure. They allow an unmitigated flow of liquids. The inner diameter stays unaffected by this embedment. Hence, this shaping method is feasible enough to create small yet flexible tubes that do not collapse.

On the other hand, this fortification is heat sensitive.  It is advisable to not use these tools under high temperatures which include examples like autoclave purification.  Unlike some other similar materials, silicon is heat resistant but it might de-shape and affect the mechanical presentation of the tube under very high temperatures. This is due to the polymers that embed inside the walled tubes.

There are other options like nylon and steel that are better at being heat-resistant. You can use them in making spiral fortified structures if you want to use them under high temperatures.

Braided Tubes prevent bursting

There are many medical procedures that make use of tubes that have different flexibility levels. The use of spiral structure in making braided tubing is a great way of controlling the flexibility of a tube.

The spiral structure makes sure that the tube is much stronger.  The use of the braided design in the form of spiral helps in reducing expandability in the wired tubing such that do not expand, rupture, or fold during the performance of medical procedures. These tubes might have to face different pressures thus, it is important for them to control their expansion.

You can use different polymers, metals, polyethylene, nylon, and steel as raw materials to construct the braided spirals as per your flexibility requirement.

Moreover, the flexibility of the tube depends on the number of pieces that form the crossed design inside the tubing. Under the usual circumstances, the measurement of the crossed pattern in these tubes is taken in per inch cross manner (PIC). The more number of crosses per inch (PICs) indicates that the braid is tighter, less flexible but stronger in nature.

Reinforces extension in durability

Reinforced tubing is a preferable way of increasing wear and tear resistance in braided wires. The braided tube structure makes use of different polymers like polyethylene that house inside the silicon tube that is in the shape of spirals or braids. This is how they configure inside the body with the help of an outer wall of silicone tube.

In some cases, extensive tubes can coil up and disrupt the medical procedure.  This excessive interaction can make the silicon layer collapse. Hence, the use of inside support in the silicon can increase its resistance. Moreover, it can also increase the time during which it remains inside the human body without causing any damage and posing any threat to the vital organs.

The Design supports the Use of Mandrels

Unlike thermoplastics, silicon has very durable and compatible properties. They have flexible characteristics that become bendable in different situations. They carry more power which is an ideal characteristic for the extrusion process. The only drawback they have is that once melted and cross-linked,   you cannot melt them again.

Adding a layer of silicon in the braided tubes adds a level of complexity to the structure. The built tubes must accommodate mandrels for the creation of spirals in the design. Once the reinforcement takes place the mandrel is removed.

Removing a mandrel from the tube that has a long length can get difficult. This limits the use of mandrel in reinforced tubing for longer lengths. The only solution for a longer length is to deliver the tube when the mandrel is still in contact with the inside. The client then customizes the tube length and removes the mandrel himself.

Consideration of colors and coatings

Silicon comes naturally in a transparent color.  But, you can easily add pigment and create your version of the color and coating.  Although you can add pigment, it can become a hindrance when performing medical procedures.  Leaving the silicone tube translucent is a better option.

Conclusion

Adding spiral or braided structures inside the braided tubes of silicon can add flexibility and durability to the medical tool. They have a much greater resistance and controlled activity when performing different kinds of medical operations.

The extrusion that takes place in the tubes in the reinforced form helps in creating unbendable, un-collapsible, and robust solutions.  It is a great way of enhancing and optimizing medical performance with desirable results. This is why it is a common part of many medical surgeries.

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