New automated surgical guidewire manufacturing machine unveiled

Research shows that unhealthy habits and sedentary lifestyles, augmented by the COVID-19 pandemic, will increase chronic medical conditions and related surgeries. As a result, the market for surgical guidewires is expected to be valued at $2.19 billion by 2027. To meet the increasing demand, manufacturers will need efficient processes that maintain high standards of quality.

Glebar has provided grinding solutions to guidewire manufacturers for over 50 years, and the company has designed a new solution. By integrating automation into its micro grinder, it enables manufacturers of single taper guidewires to reduce setup times, increase throughput, and maintain tighter tolerances.

The solution centres around its TF-9D Automated Centerless Thrufeed/Infeed Micro grinder and Glebar Standalone Automatic Feeding System, GFS. The TF-9D can be paired with the GFS which automatically picks wires from a bin, loads them into the micro grinder, and unloads finished parts. The GFS can feed any Glebar Precision Grinder or other OEM machines. 

John Bannayan, CTO at Glebar, said: “During grinding, the TF-9D automatically stages the next part and unloads the finished part. In testing, a 5” single tapered wire ran at 10 seconds per piece, which included loading, grinding, and unloading.”

Glebar works as a one-stop provider delivering grinding solutions and automation integration. Due to the reliability of the automation and grinder performance, typical Glebar installations have one operator running three or more machines. 

Its micro grinder uses an 8-5/8” wide work wheel, the widest on the market for this size machine. The wider wheel enables manufacturers to grind longer tapers each pass. Comparable micro grinding machines for single taper guidewires require multiple setups to generate similar tapers. Variability in the manual setup procedure affects the accuracy and potential output. Once in production, the TF-9D grinds shapes up to 7.8” per cycle while maintaining quality and repeatability.

The intuitive touchscreen HMI makes setups and changeovers fast and easy. Operators can program multiple setups for quick retrieval, reducing setup times. The upper and lower slides can be adjusted independently to 0.1 micron resolution using the HMI. This provides greater consistency and predictability when positioning the regulating wheel and sizing the work rest blade. The automatic dressing sequence for both the regulating and work wheel can also be programmed from the HMI, ensuring a clean grind throughout production.

The TF-9D also features an enclosure in compliance with CE requirements and maintains a clean work environment. Interlock capability ensures operator safety.