Coherent‘s Laser Machines Bring Success to XL Precision Technologies

时间： 2024-04-01 来源：COHERENT News

技术问答

A leader in medical device and component manufacturing builds on strong growth by investing in more laser machines, including additional StarCut Tubes, as well as expanding their facilities in both the UK and USA.

XL Precision Technologies

Medical device manufacturing is an increasingly competitive field, but contract manufacturers can still achieve standout market success – either through superior product quality and performance, or by offering an important differentiating service/support aspect. Based in Stockton-on-Tees, UK, and West Chester, PA, USA, XL Precision Technologies (XL-PT) decided on a combination of “all of the above,” resulting in an impressive >70% growth in just three years (2018-2020). Founded in 1998, the company specializes in the manufacture of precision micro-components as well as complex tubular components and sub-assemblies for the medical device industry. They offer design for manufacturing (DFM), prototyping, and volume production solutions to medical device customers throughout the world.

XL-PT boasts an impressive array of laser-based machinery including systems for welding, cutting, drilling, and marking. Virtually all of these were supplied by COHERENT and include several popular models such as EasyMark and CombiLine laser markers, Select welders, and several StarCut Tube models for cutting and drilling (even a StarCut 18).

To support a growing demand for their hypotubes and other precision products, XL-PT recently increased this machine portfolio, bringing their count of StarCut Tube cutting machines to a total of six. The superior cutting of the Monaco femtosecond lasers in their newest StarCut Tube hybrid models has enabled XL-PT to significantly increase their nitinol work as well as eliminate most of the post-processing previously required with their stainless steel hypotubes.

Company Background

Tom Graham is the Managing Director at XL-PT. He explains that the company was founded as an EDM (electrical discharge machining) specialty shop but rapidly expanded to include laser-based machines. The company was acquired by Rubicon Partners in 2008 and opened a US manufacturing facility in the USA in 2016 to better serve their fast-growing base of North American customers. In 2021, both the UK and US facilities underwent major expansion with an almost 3X increase across both sites. Continued growth is also reflected in the size of the XL-PT workforce which impressively expanded by nearly 30% in a 12-month period spanning the worldwide pandemic slowdown. He notes that, “Loyalty and trust are very important two-way concepts for both our vendors and our customers. We consider Coherent an invaluable partner in our success.”

In terms of products, XL-PT focus most of their output on four key segments: endoscopy/laparoscopy, cardiology/endoscopy, sports medicine/spinal care, and advanced drug delivery systems. They also have extensive experience in specialty products for robotic surgeries. Products range from simple hypotubes to complex tubular sub-assemblies and 3D micro-machined components such as distal end catheter components and sub-assemblies, Class III implants, and cutting tools such as one- and two-piece shaver designs. Most of their products are stainless steel but interspersed with a growing demand for high-value implants fabricated from nitinol (so-called memory metal). Batch sizes are similarly diverse, from single unit prototypes through to volume product runs encompassing many thousands of units/year.

Just as important, Graham adds that, “Embedded in all of our development and production activities is our Quality Management System, certified to ISO 13485.”

Growth Factors

Over the three-year period 2019-2021, XL-PT successfully implemented a growth strategy which resulted in 40% growth in revenue in both the USA and UK. So what accounts for this growth and what sets XL-PT apart from many other contract manufacturers? Graham explains, “Things like our experience, our ability to design as well as manufacture, and our technical manufacturing breadth are all major advantages. But two of the most important factors are our high product quality and our rapid prototyping service. Regarding product quality, the overall market can be defined in the classic pyramid format, where the apex represents the highest performance with smaller unit volumes. That gives XL-PT a focus – premium product quality, higher value-added, and often technically challenging.” He adds that the range of tube diameters they handle ranges from .010” to around 0.5”. (i.e., 250µm – 13mm).

Their rapid “XLerator” prototyping service is the other powerful differentiator, where drawings and even raw design concepts are converted into delivered prototypes in days rather than weeks. He explains, “Speed and responsivity are everything in fast prototyping. We can match anyone in this area because we have a suite of dedicated internal services, just for fast prototyping.”

StarCut Tube Advantages

XL-PT has numerous Coherent machines for cutting, drilling, welding, and marking. But they have more StarCut Tubes than any other system type. And they recently acquired two more. Why? According to Graham, “This machine is a great match for our growth strategy in multiple ways. The majority of our products start life as tubular blanks, but we also have products and components based on mono-planar substrates. So the versatility to cut more than just tubes is an obvious advantage for us. It is also a machine that can deliver very high dimensional precision and fine cut quality, with both fiber and femtosecond lasers. This supports our ability to service the very top of the product pyramid mentioned already. We selected the newest hybrid model for our latest purchase since the combination of a fiber and femtosecond laser enables us to efficiently perform the widest range of tasks and hence derive the best ROI.”

In addition to these factors, Tom Graham states that the ease of use, off-axis capability, and simple object-based programming are particularly advantageous for their fast prototyping business. And lastly, he notes that all their tube-cutting machines are equipped with an optional automatic tube feeder, supporting unattended 24/7 operation for larger volume orders.

Summary

In summary, XL Precision Technologies is a contract manufacturer of diverse, precision engineered medical device components and systems, with laser machining, welding, and marking all playing key roles in their success, servicing a worldwide base of customers from major brands to small start-ups. They have achieved remarkable growth sustained over several years by focusing on the highest product quality and rapid response prototyping.

Figure 1: XL Precision Technologies services a worldwide base of customers. Image courtesy of XL Precision Technologies.

Figure 2: Cardiovascular AAA delivery control component. Image courtesy of XL Precision Technologies.

Figure 3: StarCut Tube is ideal for creating many of the novel cardo products produced by XL-PT. Image courtesy of XL Precision Technologies.

Figure 4: Some of XL-PT’s larger products are made for the sports medicine field. Image courtesy of XL Precision Technologies.

发送到邮箱 |
+1 赞 0
收藏
评论 0
| 转发至：

本文由玄子转载自COHERENT News，原文标题为:LASER MACHINES BRING SUCCESS TO XL PRECISION TECHNOLOGIES，本站所有转载文章系出于传递更多信息之目的，且明确注明来源，不希望被转载的媒体或个人可与我们联系，我们将立即进行删除处理。

全部评论（0）

暂无评论

使用飞秒激光器进行医疗器械制造切割的兴趣高涨

对于切割医疗器械所用的全新激光器，现在既可以选择飞秒激光器，也可以选择光纤激光器，甚至还可以混合使用这两种激光器。有了后一种选项，用户可以在这两种激光器之间无缝切换，即使在单个作业中也是如此，因为有些情况下使用光纤激光器进行切割可能比使用飞秒激光器更经济。

应用方案发布时间 : 2024-05-21

Coherent为医疗器械制造提供的激光设备，助力XL PRECISION的显著增长

XL Precision Technologies 通过投资激光设备和扩大工厂实现显著增长。该公司专注于医疗器械制造，利用高质量产品和快速原型服务在竞争激烈的市场中脱颖而出。他们拥有多样的激光系统，包括用于焊接、切割、钻孔和打标的设备，主要由 Coherent 提供。最近，为满足不断增长的需求，公司扩充了 StarCut Tube 切割系统，提升了对镍钛合金等高价值材料的加工能力。

应用方案发布时间 : 2024-07-20

NICHROMINOX：自动激光打标可提供生产灵活性

Nichrominox 在生产中使用多种 Coherent 生产的 CombiLine 系列打标机来进行激光打标。它们是将激光源、扫描头和光束传输光学器件以及所有必要的控制电子设备和软件集成到标准工具中的成套激光打标子系统。Nichrominox 使用 Coherent 生产的 Powerline F 光纤激光器配置其 CombiLine 系统。

应用方案发布时间 : 2024-06-29

日本电产集团综合产品目录(Nidec Group Products Catalog)

型号- PM4系列,H300,D SERIES,NRFEIS-5060,DFS,GATS-2000 SERIES,TPI SERIES,GATS-7800 SERIES,R-6100,TVX,GATS-6300,GATS-8600,SX-20,RWI SERIES,ZI20A,GATS-7500系列,LSR-3230,BP100,RSH,GATS-7700 SERIES,K-MC1000,P2H系列,E300,GATS-2000系列,GATS-6300系列,NVM-6060GCP,VL-H系列,GATS-7500,MH3NCV,VL SERIES,GATS-7800系列,SS-SV,DEWE3-A4,TPI,TVX SERIES,RGA20,NRTES-1000 SERIES,FCPL,ΜV1,RSH系列,ZG SERIES,ID300,FMD,TPI系列,GATS-8600系列,S-CART,GATS-6300 SERIES,KS,CM,R-580,SS-SV SERIES,ANEX SERIES,LD SERIES,VP600GC,GE15FR PLUS,MD2,ANEX系列,NRTES-1000,P2H SERIES,FFB,VL系列,LS,RSH SERIES,RVL,VL-H SERIES,RVP,F600,SS-SV系列,S-FLAG,GATS-7500 SERIES,REC-92FT,DEWE3-PA8,ECO-KA,KCV1000-5AX,S-CART-V1000-LFT,RVL SERIES,RVP SERIES,R-700 SERIES,P2H,ZE16C,CPLS,S-CART-V500,HM500S,VM53RⅡ,GATS-7700,ANEX,NRTES-1000系列,HM-X6100,RWI,TVX系列,KA SERIES,S-CART-MINI,GATS-2000,PM4,VL-H,GATS-7700系列,CBZ,GH,GATS-8600 SERIES,R-700,R-5920系列,NRFEIS-3570,DFS SERIES,MVR-HX,MAF130EⅡ,BL-V20,ECO-KA SERIES,SERIES S-FLAG,RWI系列,HE,GATS-7800,R-5920

商品及供应商介绍 - NIDEC - 第10版 (10th Edition) - 2022年12月 (December, 2022) PDF 中英文下载