By Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief

Medical device developers face numerous challenges in their quest to bring innovative solutions to market. As such, they appreciate any efforts and initiatives that can ease the route or increase the speed at which it can take place. To that end, suppliers who can offer a level of assistance that helps achieve this goal will be viewed in a favorable light.

Such a supplier may provide key insights on design as part of a collaborative relationship. For others, the supplier may provide support through their expertise via consulting sessions. However, suppliers that provide aid to companies, whether established customers or not, are likely the most appreciated. Offering assistance through a website, which is available 24/7, is a great way to demonstrate a willingness to collaborate and lend design aid.

One company providing such benefits through its Quick Wire and Tubing online store is Tegra Medical. The company’s Director of Quick Wire & Tubing, Patty Rushia, has responded to a number of questions about the offering and its advantages for users. In the following Q&A, she explains the importance of wire and hypotubing, where they are used in medtech, and the useful features of the company’s online store.

Sean Fenske: Why are wire and hypotubing important for medical device manufacturers?

Patty Rushia: What many people may not realize is that the use of wires and hypotubes in the medical device space is not only common but essential in bringing life-changing medical devices from concept to commercialization. These materials serve as the foundation in the design and manufacture of many lifesaving and life-enhancing medical devices across a wide range of interventional procedures. From cardiovascular and neurovascular to structural heart and urology, these precision components form the structural and functional core of many life-changing medical devices.

For manufacturers focused on innovation, reliability, and performance, wire and hypotubing offer unmatched versatility. Whether it’s fine wire as small as 0.0055 inches in diameter or complex nitinol structures that demand super-elastic properties, these materials are engineered to perform under the most demanding conditions inside the human body.

Fenske: Where are these components being used most often?

Rushia: Wire and hypotubing are commonly utilized in minimally invasive, image-guided procedures, where precision and flexibility are very important.

These include:

• Cardiovascular Interventions—Guidewires, catheter components, and structural support elements
• Neurovascular Procedures—Micro-scale delivery systems requiring ultra-fine, coated wire and hypotubes
• Endovascular and Electrophysiology Applications—Where tapered and ground wire enables navigation through tortuous human anatomy
• Structural Heart Therapies—Demanding materials like nitinol that combine strength with shape memory
• Urology Devices—Using pull wires and mandrels for controlled movement and reliable deployment

Fenske: Do companies typically know what they need, or are they coming to you with an application and seeking advice and/or a solution from you?

Rushia: It depends, but more often than not, medical device companies come to us with an application challenge rather than a finished spec. Especially in the fast-evolving world of interventional therapies, engineers and product developers are pushing the limits of what’s possible. That often means they’re exploring new designs, working with ultra-fine dimensions, or evaluating materials for specific mechanical or performance requirements.

At Tegra Medical, we’re not just a supplier, we’re a collaborative partner. Our team routinely works with R&D engineers and product development teams to recommend the right type of wire or hypotube based on:

• Device function and anatomy
• Required mechanical properties (e.g., flexibility, pushability, and torque)
• Coating or surface finish needs (e.g., lubricity, passivation, ultrasonic cleaning, electropolishing, grit blasting, laser abrasion, laser marking, and more)

Whether a customer needs help choosing between core wire and pull wire or understanding the advantages of nitinol versus stainless steel, our expertise helps guide decisions that lead to better-performing, more reliable devices.

Some customers know exactly what they want. Others rely on our guidance to optimize materials and manufacturing methods early in the development cycle, ultimately saving them time, reducing risk, and improving product performance.

Fenske: What benefits does your dedicated wire and tubing online store provide to companies?

Rushia: Speed, simplicity, and flexibility are just a few of the reasons medical device companies turn to our Quick Wire and Tubing online store when they need in-stock materials fast.

For R&D engineers, product developers, and procurement specialists working under tight timelines, the eCommerce store is a game-changer. It provides immediate access to a large inventory of high-quality wire and tubing specifically designed for medical device prototyping and development.

Key benefits include:

• Quick Access to Materials—There’s no waiting for quotes or long lead times for in-stock items just to get started. Engineers can order what they need online and begin building and testing right away.
• Wide Selection of Stock Sizes—Choose from a broad range of diameters and materials, including stainless steel wire, nitinol wire, and hypotubing.
• Custom Finishing Options—Need cut-to-length, centerless grinding for specific tight tolerance diameters or mandrels with unique machined features? Engage with our Quick Wire & Tubing team to add finishing services to stock materials, perfect for simulating production-ready parts.
• Supports Innovation and Iteration—With in-stock materials readily available, design teams can rapidly prototype, test, and refine devices without slowing down development cycles.
• Ideal for Early-Stage Projects—Whether you’re creating a new guidewire design or testing a catheter component, our store helps you move from concept to proof-of-concept faster.

For companies that need speed to market, our online store eliminates bottlenecks so your team can stay focused on building breakthrough devices for interventional therapies.

Fenske: Although you have the website for ordering, can an engineer contact Tegra to speak more in-depth about a project with a representative?

Rushia: Absolutely. While our online store is a fast and convenient resource for ordering standard wire and tubing, we know many projects require more than just off-the-shelf solutions. That’s why direct collaboration is always available and encouraged.

Engineers, product developers, and procurement teams are welcome to reach out to our experts for in-depth technical discussions about their specific application needs. Whether you’re exploring custom materials, tight tolerances, specialized coatings, or unique geometries, our team is here to help guide you from concept to full-scale production.

We bring decades of experience supporting projects in complex interventional therapy markets, including cardiovascular, neurovascular, structural heart, urology, and electrophysiology. When you engage with us directly, you gain access to:

• Material and process expertise
• Design-for-manufacturability (DFM) insights
• Custom prototyping support through our GENESIS Tech Center®
• Scalable solutions for full production once the design is validated

Whether you’re in the early stages of development or fine-tuning a next-gen device, our engineers are just a conversation away. We see ourselves as a true extension of your team because getting it right early saves time, cost, and rework down the line.

Fenske: Beyond ordering, what other benefits and features does the online store provide to customers?

Rushia: Tegra Medical’s Quick Wire & Tubing online store is more than just a place to buy materials; it’s a development-focused resource designed to support medical device innovators every step of the way. It is backed by knowledgeable people (e.g., customer care, engineers, etc.) to guide you and your team. In addition to quick ordering, the store offers several valuable features that help R&D teams, product developers, and procurement specialists work smarter and faster.

Key online benefits and features include:

• Detailed Product Specifications—Every listing includes essential dimensional details and tolerances to help ensure the right fit for your application.
• Instant Pricing and Availability—No need to wait for quotes or confirm lead times for in-stock items. What you see is what you get, helping procurement and engineering teams streamline planning and budgeting.
• Custom Finishing Options—Add processes like cutting, centerless grinding, mandrel shaping, or coating to simulate finished parts without launching full-scale production.
• Low Minimum Order Quantities—Perfect for early-stage development and prototyping, where flexibility and small batch access are critical.
• User Friendly Navigation—Easily search by size, material, or product type to quickly find what you need, even when you’re juggling multiple design iterations.
• Reliable Performance—All materials offered are medical-grade and meet the listed ASTM requirements for device development in interventional therapies and other critical applications.

Ultimately, the store gives customers a fast, flexible, and self-serve experience backed by the same quality and expertise Tegra Medical is known for. It is ideal for teams that want to maintain momentum while staying closely aligned with future manufacturability and scale-up potential.

Fenske: What considerations are often overlooked by customers ordering wire and/or hypotubes? What do you recommend is important to keep in mind?

Rushia: While many customers have a general idea of the size and material they need, several important factors are often overlooked during the ordering process. These details can significantly impact performance, manufacturability, and overall project timelines, especially in early-stage development.

Following are some key considerations that are important to keep in mind:

• Tolerance and Consistency—Choosing the correct diameter is only part of the equation. It is equally important to consider how tight and consistent the tolerance must be. In interventional therapies, where components must interact precisely with other parts or navigate complex anatomies, even small deviations can create significant issues. Customers should verify their tolerance requirements based on how the material will function within the device.
• Surface Finish and Coatings—Surface finish can affect everything from friction and bonding to device safety and reliability. For example, centerless grinding can improve dimensional consistency and fit. Coating may be required to reduce friction or enhance biocompatibility. It is essential to clarify whether raw, ground, or coated material is needed, and how the surface finish will affect performance in the final application.
• ASTM Standards—Material selection should always take into account the required mechanical characteristics such as tensile strength, flexibility, and torque response. Different alloys behave differently under stress. For example, stainless steel and nitinol offer distinct advantages depending on whether the device needs to bend, steer, or maintain its shape under pressure.
• Downstream Processing—It is important to consider how the wire or hypotube will be handled in later stages of manufacturing. If the material needs to be laser cut, formed, coiled, or welded, those processes may influence which material or finish is most appropriate. Understanding how each option performs in secondary operations helps avoid costly rework or design changes later.
• Scalability—A material choice that works well for a prototype might not scale efficiently for full production. It is beneficial to engage with a manufacturing partner early in the process to ensure your selections will support long-term production goals without compromising quality or efficiency.
• Our Recommendation—Always select materials with the entire device lifecycle in mind, including performance, regulatory requirements, and manufacturing scalability. At Tegra Medical, we collaborate with engineers and procurement teams to evaluate material choices, identify tradeoffs, and provide guidance that supports both innovation and production success.

Fenske: Do you have any additional comments you’d like to share based on any of the topics we discussed or something you’d like to tell medical device manufacturers?

Rushia: Yes. If there’s one message we want to emphasize, it’s this: You don’t have to navigate material selection and component sourcing alone. As medical devices become smaller, more complex, and more performance-driven, especially in interventional therapies, every detail matters. The wire or hypotube you choose today will impact how your device functions, how it’s manufactured, and how quickly you can bring it to market.

At Tegra Medical, we combine deep materials expertise, world-class manufacturing capabilities, and a collaborative mindset to help customers at every stage, from prototyping to commercialization. Whether you’re developing a breakthrough neurovascular catheter or fine-tuning a structural heart delivery system, we’re here to guide you with insights that save time, reduce risk, and improve product performance.

We also recognize the pace of innovation in this industry. That’s why we’ve built tools like our online wire and tubing store, designed to empower R&D teams to move quickly and efficiently, while still having the option to engage with our experts for customized support.

To the engineers, procurement teams, and product developers we work with: We appreciate the trust you place in us. And to those we haven’t worked with yet, we’d love to be part of your next success story.

Click here to find out more about Tegra Medical >>>>>