The Medical Electronics

Industry demands Technical Cable - the most technically demanding designs and specifications found anywhere. Northwire meets the challenges required by this industry, in many different ways. Years of experience and know-how make Northwire one of the industry's leading suppliers of medical-grade cables.

Northwire Inc. designs and manufactures disposable, reusable/single patient, and reusable cable for the medical and bio-medical electronics industry.

The requirements for disposable/single-patient vs. reusable cables can demand significantly different attributes, e. g. free of bio-burden and pyrogens (dead bacteria), or the ability of the cable to withstand one to many sterilization cycles, just to name a few. With rising health-care costs, cost-effectiveness in design and manufacturability is crucial.

Another requirement can be cost, where the cost-effectiveness of disposable cable may become a significant design attribute. Electrical and other performance specifications pose particular challenges to the cable manufacturer. Most importantly, medical grade cables also demand the utmost in reliability.

Northwire produces Technical Cable that meets those challenges:

Generally, cables for medical applications require a combination of attributes that are not found on other types of cable, such as

• Ability to withstand multiple sterilization cycles, using a number of different methods - see sterilizing matrix
• Highly flexible and high flex life
• Low elongation with high strength
• Retractile designs
• Ability to withstand harsh sterilization chemicals
• Non-toxic, non-irritating materials
• Low bio-burden - free from biological contaminants
• Free of pyrogens (e.g. dead bacteria)
• FDA grade materials
• Miniaturization
• Special colors
• Low noise
• Effective electromagnetic shielding
• Complex composite constructions

Disposable & single-patient cable

Intended for limited use, either one-time or a limited number of times. This includes multiple-use/single-patient applications. Cable must perform to its intended specification at minimum cost.

Includes Cables for:

• Catheter
• Diagnostic imaging
• Electrodes
• Endoscopy
• Implants
• Laparoscopy
• Lasers
• Medical Robotics
• Patient Monitoring
• Surgical Instruments

Reusable cables are frequently constructed to have high flex-life and may require high number of repeated sterilizing cycles. These cables are also frequently complex composite constructions and may require high levels of electrical performance.

These types may be may be found in:

• Defibrillators
• Dental X-ray and Vision systems
• Diagnostic Instrumentation and Imaging Systems
• Hybrid cables containing breather tubes, fiber-optics, as well as electrical conductors
• Medical vision systems
• Ultrasound Systems

Contact Northwire for your Medical Cable Needs

Please read the article: Custom Cables for Medical Applications.