Technical Blog

Laser marking of plastics has become common in industrial equipment, medical devices, aerospace components, automotive parts and common household appliances. However, medical device manufacturing (MDM) suppliers are required to track their products using unique device identification (UDI) codes, data matrices and other tracking information. They must also meet strict Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and […]

Coated wires are used throughout the medical industry and need to be end stripped and window stripped to exacting tolerances for eventual soldering, brazing or welding. Insulating coating types such as polyimide, urethane, lacquer, Kapton® and formvar are commonly used on medical wires and require unique methods to be cleanly removed. These materials can’t be […]

Rapid advancements in the medical industry are leading to smaller, less-invasive instruments, with correspondingly reduced feature and aperture sizes. While device manufacturers can choose from various drilling methods, ultrafast (picosecond and femtosecond) laser drilling is the best choice for exacting quality control requirements and demanding production goals. Some of the devices that can benefit from […]

Manufacturers looking to upgrade their equipment with modern, laser-based solutions often may be unfamiliar with the measures needed to ensure operator safety and corporate culpability. This is understandable given the numerous online videos of unsafe laser use. However, current regulations and expert laser suppliers take a lot of the guesswork of implementing a safe laser […]

At CMS Laser, we strive to provide customers with best-in-class laser systems for a wide range of applications, and we often get questions from companies about how they can best work with us to meet their needs. To provide better insight into our capabilities and the type of work we do, we put together a […]

In our last blog post, we explored the role various laser processes play in catheter manufacturing. Now, we turn our attention to examples of laser machine designs we’ve developed for this industry. Bear in mind, you can use one of these “standard” concepts, or our engineering team is happy to design a custom solution to […]

Lasers are precise, flexible and clean—making them an ideal tool for medical applications like catheter manufacturing. From cutting stainless-steel guide wires to marking text on plastic parts, lasers do it all with minimal heat and post-processing. Let’s explore the various laser processes found in catheter manufacturing—marking, welding, cutting and drilling—as well as the benefits laser […]

If you manufacture medical devices you’re already familiar with the Unique Device Identification (UDI) system. To comply with these FDA regulations, your stainless steel devices must bear a unique identifier that is durable, legible and permanent—making laser marking a popular solution. Let’s explore how stainless steel laser marking works, including the advantages it has over […]

From precision micromachining to LED wafer scribing, ultrafast femtosecond and picosecond lasers shine in applications that have traditionally used nanosecond lasers. These ultrafast lasers have very short pulse widths—minimizing the heat-affected zone in metals, plastics, ceramic and glass. As a result, they can do what nanosecond lasers cannot—eliminating post-processing, raised edges and discoloration in processed […]