Thermo compression bonding process allows the manufacture of micro-coil instruments needed in the medical industry. With the increasing demand for microscopic devices, new technologies in their manufacturing are important.
With a thickness of less than that of a human hair, traditional methods became prevalent for micro-coils to manufacture new devices. These traditional methods had a few restrictions that became the hurdle for connecting the ultra-fine wires to each other.
The restrictions could be in the external environment or from the physical characteristics of the coil. We dive deep into the present implications of thermo-compression bonding that can improve the manufacturing process.
Drawbacks of the Traditional Method:
There can be numerous uses of the micro-coils and devices, alike. The following is their area of use:
- Connection between the thermocouples and micro-coil wires.
- Inter-metal connections, externally
- Connections to a system for support through metal terminals.
Use of traditional methods like welding and soldering gained prevalence. But these methods faced the following drawbacks:
- Strict tolerance levels: Medical equipment has a strict tolerance limit. Deviation from the same is not encouraging during its manufacture.
- External factors: The impact of external factors like the physical and environmental factors is more in the traditional methods.
- Issues regarding the quality of the device: The reliability of the connections diminishes due to the degradation in its quality and physical strain in the wires.
- Problem of heat spreading: Spreading of the heat to the surrounding areas and the oxidation of the wire leads to a reduced lifetime of the devices.
Advantages of the Thermo-Compression Bonding Process
Thermo-compression bonding process is an improvement over the traditional methods for micro-coil connections. The advantages include:
- Economical and durable: Durability is a major concern in traditional methods. With the new method, durable and economic products could help in the mass manufacturing of devices.
- Zero noise level: With zero oxidation levels, the process of manufacturing follows all safety rules. With the zero-noise policy in the process, it stands better than the traditional methods.
- An automated process of manufacturing: The manufacturing of the devices is robust and automated, which helps in cost-cutting. Mass production becomes possible due to the thermo-compression bonding process.
Future of the Micro-Coil Technology
The increasing demand for the miniaturized devices due to the increasing complexity of the ailments lead to an increase in demand of the micro-coil devices.
Domains in which the devices find application include:
- Cardio-vascular catheter
- Navigation sensors
- Diagnostics.
- Pacemakers
- Deep brain stimulations
- Orthopedics& dentistry
The micro-devices also, find an application in the drug delivery in the deep areas within the body. With their applications in the stent positioning and wireless communication with sensory implants, micro-coil devices have found a wider application.
As the thermo-compression bonding process provides certain benefits over the traditional ones, it is revolutionizing the industry of medical devices. With the growing awareness of the micro-devices, the application of this technique in the manufacture of products will increase. This ensures the thermo-compression bonding process opens a new host of opportunities in the medical world.