Medical Design Briefs Explores Silicone Alternatives; Northwire's Impact on Life Sciences

The cable and wire manufacturer's BioCompatic represents their second feature in Tech Briefs

OSCEOLA, WI. - August 19, 2015 - Cable engineering company, Northwire, Inc., (NWI), lends their materials expertise to the increasingly popular conversation challenging traditional silicone. Striving to deliver cutting-edge solutions to customers, the cable manufacturer participates in Medical Design Briefs August issue featuring silicone alternatives.


Medical Design Briefs: Tech Briefs focuses on design and technological advancements in the area of medical manufacturing innovation. As part of this mission, the publication seeks out industry leaders and R&D professionals to contribute articles, white papers, videos, and other resources to educate and inform readers. This is the second consecutive year that the magazine has asked Northwire to provide an article highlighting the next-generation medical cable and wire solutions.

This year, Kevin DePratter, PMP® and Northwires Director of R&D, lent forty- two years of industry expertise to the article titled, "Silicones History - and Future - in Medical Manufacturing." Exploring silicones versatility and its subsequent rise in popularity as a useful material in a number of medical device designs, DePratter demonstrates its inherent limitations as compared to the extreme performance properties of innovative alternatives. The silicone polymers applications range from valves and tubing to cable jacketing and beyond. Its adaptability to extreme environments, ability to meet biocompatibility standards, and durability against sterilization made silicone the popular selection for many years.

As silicone has many proven advantages, it is often viewed as the traditional go-to material for coating cables used in implantable medical devices, surgical tools and more. However, medical-grade silicone jacketed cable can be costly to produce, and most silicone suppliers require long lead times. Combined with Northwires materials science and industry expertise, recent technology enables field-proven silicone alternatives featuring more robust resistance to crush, cut and chemicals. Options for medical device cable materials such as Northwires BioCompatic are quickly growing. Leading the shift and meeting customers demands, Northwire is currently working on BioCompatics product family extension to serve the next phase of unique engineering requirements of medical device design.

Learn more by reading the article online at www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/mdbfeatures or by clicking here. For more information about Northwires publications or its work with The LEMO Group on highly resilient, cost-competitive, USP Class VI silicone alternatives, contact Customer Care at 800.468.1516, cableinfo@northwire.com, or via Live Chat.

About LEMO

LEMO is an acknowledged leader in the design and manufacture of precision custom connection and cable solutions. LEMOs high quality Push-Pull connectors are found in a variety of challenging application environments including medical, industrial control, test and measurement, broadcast, and telecommunications.

LEMO has been designing custom connectors for over six decades. Offering more than 100,000 combinations of products that continue to grow through tailored, specific designs, LEMO and its affiliated sister companies REDEL, NORTHWIRE and COELVER currently serve more than 100,000 customers in over 80 countries around the world. In 2014, LEMO Group acquired Northwire, Inc. as part of its vision to provide a full range of interconnection solutions and services to niche markets.

About Northwire

Cable manufacturer, Northwire, Inc., celebrating over 43 years of innovation, has corporate headquarters and manufacturing in Osceola, Wisconsin and engineering and manufacturing in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The cable engineering company is the premier partner for the design, manufacture and contract services of custom technical products including custom technical wire and cable, retractable cable, cable assemblies, connectors, harnesses, injection molding and over-molding. Extensive test and development, contract engineering and rapid OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) services offered. Serving a wide range of markets with diverse applications in broadcast, life sciences, energy, MIL-Spec defense, industrial, machine vision, architectural lighting, underwater and beyond.

In addition to ISO 13485:2003, ISO 9001:2008, SAE AS9100C:2009 certifications and qualification to ISO 17025:2005, Northwire is a member of NDIA (National Defense Industrial Association), NCMA (National Contract Management Association), RIA (Robotics Industries Association), AIA (Automated Imaging Association), FieldComm (aka Foundation Fieldbus), ODVA (Open DeviceNet Vendors Associations) and WAI (Wire Association International), among others.

For more information, visit www.northwire.com.

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