Precision forming and bonding of advanced medical components & sub-assemblies

"The lead applicant has developed a high performance catheter that a doctor can use to take blood samples from deep within the heart at the site of diseased heart tissue. Crucially, by collecting the blood at the site of the diseased tissue, the doctor can detect blood samples that are known to be exclusively associated with the disease. This close association with the disease has important implications for drug development and delivering the best course of treatment for patients with heart disease.

The production of this high performance catheter is very labour intensive and expensive. This cost is limiting the use of the catheter. The lead applicant needs to work with a specialist manufacturing company that is able to research and develop a new production process for critical components for the catheter that are not much thicker than a piece of sewing thread.

The enclosed project is focused on the collaboration of the lead applicant with the specialist manufacturing company to use laser beams and micro assembly techniques to shape, bond and assemble the critical components of this catheter. Via this project, the applicants hope to automate the production process and reduce the catheter price by approximately 90%."