For more details and information on our TE’s Metal Shafts & Hypotubes products capabilities, visit our product page on te.com or download our brochure. You can also connect with our experts to learn more, get samples and design support.
General
Q: What is the difference between hypotube and hypodermic tubing?
A: The terms hypotube and hypodermic tubing are often used interchangeably in the medical device industry, but they have different meanings depending on context—especially when considering engineering, manufacturing, and application aspects. A hypodermic tubing is a standardized, thin-walled stainless steel tubing originally designed for hypodermic needles. A hypotube is a custom metal tube, often made from stainless steel, nitinol, or other alloys, used in interventional medical devices (e.g., catheters, guidewires).
Technical & Design Questions
Q: What materials do you offer for hypotubes?
A: TE offers stainless steel (304, 316L), nitinol, and other high-performance alloys. These materials are medical-grade, and we help you select based on flexibility, strength, corrosion resistance, and compatibility with your device.
Q: What inner and outer diameter ranges are available?
A: We support a wide range, including ODs as small as 0.006" (0.25 mm), with precision control on both ID and OD. Whether you're designing for microcatheters or structural shafts, we’ll match the geometry to your specs.
Q: What wall thicknesses and tolerances can you hold?
A: We offer ultra-thin wall hypotubes, with wall thicknesses down to " 0.001" (0.038 mm) and tolerances typically ±0.0002" (5 µm). We work closely with your design team to ensure wall dimensions support performance and manufacturability.
Q: Can you support custom hypotube profiles (e.g., elliptical, slotted, or scalloped)?
A: Yes — we can produce custom OD/ID profiles and complex cut features.
Q: Do you offer laser-cut hypotubes for flex zones or steerability?
A: Absolutely. We offer precision laser cutting with micron-level control to create steerable shafts, articulation zones, and variable stiffness regions.
Q: Can you support hypotube tapering or variable-stiffness designs?
A: Yes — we provide grind-to-shape and laser-cut flex patterns to deliver progressive stiffness or tapered profiles. These are ideal for distal navigation and torque response tuning.
Q: What finishes are available (e.g. electropolishing, passivation, or coatings)?
A: We offer passivation, bead blasting, and other surface treatments to enhance corrosion resistance or bonding performance. Finish specs can be customized based on your application.
Q: Can you provide hypotubes with PTFE or hydrophilic coatings for lubricity?
A: We have the capability to apply coatings to our hypotubes. We're transitioning our coatings to water-based, solvent-free, low-PTFE to comply with changing regulations in this space.
Mechanical Performance
Q: What is the burst pressure, tensile strength, or torque response?
A: Our hypotubes are tested for high tensile strength, burst resistance, and torque transfer. Stainless steel provides excellent pushability and torque, while nitinol adds flexibility with kink resistance.
Q: How does the tube perform under flexing and bending?
A: With the right geometry and patterning, our hypotubes support repeated flexing with minimal fatigue. Laser-cut hypotubes offer enhanced bending compliance while maintaining axial strength.
Q: What is the kink resistance and column strength?
A: Kink resistance depends on wall thickness, material, and whether flex zones are laser cut. We can tailor hypotube stiffness to prevent collapse under bending loads while preserving pushability.
Q: Can the hypotube be safely crimped, flared, or flanged during assembly?
A: Yes — we routinely support crimping, flaring, flanging, and swaging. We can advise on safe processing windows for forming without compromising structural integrity.
Q: Is there fatigue testing data available for dynamic applications?
A: We can provide mechanical performance data and assist with fatigue analysis for applications requiring cyclic bending, torque, or axial loading — such as neurovascular or structural heart devices.
Manufacturing & Secondary Operations
Q: Can you provide laser-cut hypotubes with specific patterns or geometries?
A: Yes — we use high-precision laser systems to cut customized flex patterns, micro slots, helical cuts, and more. We can support R&D iteration and transfer to volume production.
Q: Do you offer custom grinding (OD/ID), skiving, or surface texturing?
A: Yes — we offer centerless grinding, taper grinding, and micro-texturing for bonding prep or performance enhancement. We control surface roughness to your specification.
Q: Can you drill, punch, or notch the hypotube for specific features?
A: We offer laser drilling, EDM, mechanical notching, and slotting. These features can be used for drug delivery ports, stent crimping areas, or flex zones.
Q: Can you support axial or radial slotting for steerable or flexible regions?
A: Yes — we offer custom laser slotting patterns in axial, radial, or helical configurations. These are optimized for steerability, compliance, and torque response.
Material Compliance & Supply
Q: Are your hypotube materials medical-grade and traceable?
A: Yes — all materials used for hypotubes are medical-grade, with full lot-level traceability and material certs available upon request.
Q: Are they RoHS/REACH compliant?
A: Yes — our materials and manufacturing processes are RoHS and REACH compliant, and we can provide regulatory declarations to support your documentation needs.
Q: Is your facility ISO 13485 certified?
A: Yes — our hypotube manufacturing is done in ISO 13485-certified facilities, ensuring medical device-grade quality systems, traceability, and process control.
Q: What documentation is provided (COC, material certs, lot traceability)?
A: We provide full documentation: Certificates of Conformance (COC), material certifications, inspection reports, and lot traceability. We also support documentation for regulatory submissions.
Q: What are your standard lead times for prototypes and production orders?
A: For standard hypotubes, prototype lead times can be 2–4 weeks, depending on complexity. For laser-cut hypotubes or coated variants, lead times may extend slightly. We offer flexible timelines to match development stages.
Q: Can you scale production for high-volume commercial use?
A: Absolutely — TE supports scalable manufacturing, from early-stage validation to millions of units per year, with global production sites and integrated supply chain support.
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