In the medical device industry, PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone) has become a key material in advanced interventional devices and minimally invasive instruments due to its excellent mechanical properties, high temperature resistance, chemical resistance, and good biocompatibility. Many R&D engineers tend to focus at the early stage of a project on whether PEEK tubing can be extruded. However, when the product truly enters sample validation or mass production, a practical issue gradually emerges:

The real technical barrier of PEEK tubing does not lie in extrusion, but in secondary processing. A series of post-processing steps such as tip forming, flaring, ring marking, laser marking, and precision cutting often determine whether a PEEK tube can actually be used in a medical device.

Why PEEK Tubing Can Be “Extruded” but Not Necessarily “Used Well”

PEEK itself has a high melting point (about 343°C) and a relatively high degree of crystallinity, so the extrusion process indeed requires stable equipment and process control. However, for mature extrusion manufacturers, stable production of single-lumen PEEK tubing is no longer the biggest technical challenge. The truly difficult steps usually arise during secondary processing:

1. Tip Forming

Many devices require atraumatic or functional tip structures. Due to the relatively high hardness and strong toughness of PEEK, conventional thermal processing may easily lead to stress cracking or dimensional spring-back. This requires precise temperature-window control and mold control.

2. Flaring

In many device structures, PEEK tubing needs to be connected with metal parts or other polymer components. For example, in urology, the outer tube of a stone retrieval basket requires a flared structure that must ensure dimensional stability while avoiding cracking or material whitening.

3. Ring Marking

During clinical use, length markings and depth indicators are very important. The surface of PEEK is relatively inert, and traditional inks show poor adhesion. Stable ring-marking performance therefore requires special surface treatment or dedicated processing methods.

4. Laser Marking

Many medical devices require the following information to be marked on the tubing:

· Product specification

· Lot number

· Brand or model

However, under laser action, PEEK material is prone to:

· Surface ablation

· Uneven coloration

· Expansion of the heat-affected zone

Therefore, precise control of laser power, scanning speed, and focal distance is required.

5. Precision Cutting and Dimensional Control

PEEK tubing used in medical devices often has the following characteristics:

· Thin wall

· Long length

· High concentricity requirements

If cutting is not properly controlled, the following issues may easily occur:

· Burrs on the end face

· Changes in ovality

· Microcracks

These problems are often amplified during subsequent assembly or clinical use.

Typical Clinical Applications of PEEK Tubing in Medical Devices

Due to its rigidity, wear resistance, and insulating properties, PEEK tubing has been widely used in multiple clinical fields.

I. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (Core Application)

Gastrointestinal endoscopic instruments are one of the most widely used fields for PEEK tubing. Typical products include:

1. EUS Needle Outer Tube

EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound) needles are used for:

 · Pancreatic tumor biopsy

 · Biliary lesion sampling

 · Pancreatic cyst drainage

PEEK tubing is typically used as the outer tube structure of the puncture needle and needs to provide:

 · High rigidity to ensure puncture stability

 · Good wear resistance to reduce friction with the inner core

2. Biopsy Forceps Outer Tube

Biopsy forceps enter the digestive tract through the endoscope working channel for tissue sampling.

PEEK tubing is typically used as the operating outer tube of biopsy forceps. Its advantages include:

 · High rigidity to ensure stable transmission of the forceps head

 · Good bending resistance

3. Stent Delivery System

In biliary or gastrointestinal stent implantation procedures, PEEK tubing is often used for the outer tube of the stent delivery system.

Its main functions are to ensure:

 · Stable delivery performance

 · Friction control

 · Structural strength

II. Minimally Invasive Surgical Instruments

PEEK has good electrical insulation and high temperature resistance, and therefore it is commonly used in:

 · Electrocautery forceps

 · Ultrasonic surgical instruments

 · Laparoscopic operating instruments

PEEK tubing can serve as:

 · Internal insulating tube

 · Structural support tube

This ensures both safety and mechanical strength.

III. Urological Instruments

In urological endoscopic instruments, a common application of PEEK tubing is the outer tube of occlusion stone retrieval catheters.

It is used for:

 · Ureteral stones

 · Kidney stones

The advantages of PEEK tubing include:

 · High rigidity to ensure pushability

 · Good wear resistance to reduce friction with metal wires

ECO: From a “Tubing Supplier” to a “Device Structural Solution Provider”

In the development of medical devices, a PEEK tube is more than just a piece of material; it is a key component within the overall device structure. When a product moves from the sample stage to mass production, what truly determines the success or failure of the project is not the material itself, but a complete set of precision processing capabilities built around the tubing. For medical device manufacturers, choosing a partner with both extrusion and precision secondary processing capabilities can significantly reduce:

 · R&D iteration cycles

 · Structural verification risks

 · The difficulty of ramping up mass production

The value of PEEK tubing is truly amplified in this process.

ECO PEEK Single-Lumen Tubing Size Range and Secondary Processing Capabilities

To meet the medical device industry’s requirements for high-performance tubing in terms of dimensional accuracy, structural stability, and secondary processing compatibility, ECO currently provides a wide range of single-lumen PEEK tubing sizes. ECO also supports customized lengths, customized development based on customer requirements, and multiple secondary processing technologies, which can meet the diverse needs of different medical device projects during the R&D, prototyping, and mass production stages.

Specific capabilities are as follows: