A textile product with a tapered end manufacturing using shape setting and thermal forming

Cortland Biomedical has expanded its shape setting and thermal forming capabilities, among other services. [Photo courtesy of Cortland Biomedical]

Cortland Biomedical has added and expanded its post-processing services and technologies for medical textiles products.

The Cortland, New York-based medical textiles product development firm said the new services will allow it to provide OEM customers with their implantable fabric or device in its final form.

One new service from Cortland Biomedical is braid tipping, or stiffening the ends of braided products to reduce fraying for optimal performance.

The full-service contract engineering, design and manufacturing firm also added capacity and/or expanded its capabilities with new equipment for a host of services, including:

  • Spin Finish Removal, which can improve the biocompatibility of implantable fibers in any textile construction;
  • Edge Sealing, performed with a variety of proprietary methods to apply heat and/or weld materials to minimize loose fibers and/or fraying without impacting the base material;
  • Ultrasonic Welding, which can benefit implantable fabrics via the highly precise application of heat to create complex shapes via the attachments of components, etc.;
  • Heat Pressing, which provides the ability to further specialize and alter braided, woven and knit textiles to stabilize and improve their performance;
  • Shape Setting and Thermal Forming, processes employed to set a fabric into a specific and often complex geometry to suit a specific surgical application;
  • and Laser cutting, which provides almost endless possibilities for the design and manufacturing of smaller components.

Cortland Biomedical performs all of these services at its 35,000 ft² manufacturing facility, which the company said was strategically designed with input from medical device partners and seasoned textile engineers.

“Our mission has always been to overcome the status quo when it comes to helping our customers develop innovative, sophisticated, customized textiles that may ultimately enable less invasive surgical procedures,” said Cortland Biomedical Business Development Manager Tara Yunkunis said in a news release. “Now, by offering this comprehensive suite of post-processing capabilities, we’ll be able to further help streamline product delivery and minimize the need for additional suppliers.”