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AURORA-Plasma uniformly activates the inner and outer surfaces of wound catheters – even those with inner diameters as small as 0.3 mm (Copyright: Plasmatreat GmbH) |
Reliable adhesion, technical cleanliness, and reproducible manufacturing processes are key requirements for modern medical devices. At COMPAMED 2026 (16-19 November 2026, Dusseldorf, Germany) in hall 8b, booth D29, Plasmatreat will demonstrate how surface treatments can be tailored to the material, component geometry, treatment objective, and production environment. The focus will be on solutions for cleaning, activation, and functional coating of medical components. Visitors will be able to experience a special highlight from the new low-pressure plasma portfolio firsthand: the internal and external treatment of wound catheters with diameters up to 0.3 mm.
Catheters, tubes, ventilator masks, diagnostic systems, and implants often combine different materials in a confined space. Their surfaces must be reliably bonded, coated, or functionalized. At the same time, requirements for technical cleanliness, biocompatibility, process reliability, and traceable manufacturing conditions are increasing. Depending on the application, conventional pretreatments using solvent-based primers or other wet chemical treatments reach technical, environmental, or economic limits.
From Surface Requirements to a Stable Process
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An Openair-Plasma jet activates the plastic surface before bonding, thereby creating the conditions necessary for reliable adhesion between different materials – even in hard-soft bonds (Copyright: Plasmatreat GmbH) |
The choice of plasma technology is not determined by the material alone. Component geometry, contamination, the desired surface function, cycle time, and the subsequent process are equally relevant. Plasmatreat therefore considers the entire process chain: Based on material and component tests, the treatment, process parameters, system design, automation, and process control are coordinated with one another. The treatment is performed without additional chemicals and is suitable for integration into automated production lines as well as for use as a stand-alone system.
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The RD1004C rotating coating jet applies functional PlasmaPlus coatings inline with a treatment width of 40 mm (Copyright: Plasmatreat GmbH) |
Plasma cleans, activates, or functionalizes surfaces in a dry, precise, and reproducible manner. Depending on the application, the treatment can be selectively integrated directly into an automated production line or carried out in a dedicated low-pressure process chamber. The goal is not the plasma treatment itself, but rather to create a robust foundation for subsequent bonding, coating, and functionalization processes.
AURORA-Plasma for Complex Geometries
A key focus of the trade show presentation is the new AURORA-Plasma system. Inside the vacuum chamber, the low-pressure plasma surrounds the components, enabling uniform, full-surface treatment of even complex three-dimensional geometries. For example, even with wound catheters, both outer and inner surfaces with a diameter of up to 0.3 mm can be uniformly activated without any untreated shadow areas.
Openair-Plasma for Selective Inline Processes
For short cycle times and the selective treatment of defined areas, Plasmatreat presents a Plasma Treatment Unit (PTU) equipped with a PFW10 activation jet and, in addition, the new RD1004C rotating coating jet. Openair-Plasma operates at atmospheric pressure and can be automatically integrated into the production line immediately before the next manufacturing step. The jet selection and process control are tailored to the material, component contour, and required treatment width.
Test Applications and Develop Processes
At the booth, a live demonstration shows how plasma alters wettability and surface functionality. Visitors can bring their own material or product samples and test initial treatment options directly on the component.
