Sensors & Scientific
Precision tubes, wires, components and assemblies for medicine and science.
Tullamed’s Role
Precision tubes, wires, components, and assemblies are critical in sensor technology across industries like aerospace, medical devices, automotive, and industrial automation. These elements are engineered with tight tolerances and high-quality materials to ensure accurate, reliable sensor performance.
Applications
Here’s a breakdown of how our products are used:
Precision Tubes
- Purpose: Used as protective sleeving, structural supports, or conduits for sensor elements. In medical sensors, for example, hypotubes (thin-walled precision tubes) guide wires or fluids.
- Materials: Stainless steel, titanium, nickel alloys, or polymers like PTFE, chosen for durability, corrosion resistance, or flexibility.
- Manufacturing: Often cold-drawn or seamless, with tolerances as tight as ±0.001 inches. Processes like laser cutting or centerless grinding refine them for specific sensor applications (e.g., pressure or flow sensors).
Wires
- Purpose: Serve as conductive elements, signal carriers, or structural supports (e.g., mandrels in catheters). In sensors, they transmit electrical signals or act as sensing elements (like in thermocouples).
- Types: Fine wires (down to 0.002″ diameter), coated wires (e.g., PTFE or parylene for insulation), or specialty alloys (e.g., platinum-iridium for biocompatibility).
- Precision: Grinding, coiling, or straightening ensures exact dimensions and performance under stress or temperature changes.
Components
- Examples: Include connectors, housings, coils, or electrodes tailored for sensors like temperature, pressure, or position detectors.
- Fabrication: CNC machining, laser welding, or micro-molding ensures intricate shapes and reliable integration into sensor systems.
- Customization: Often designed to withstand harsh environments (e.g., high heat, vibration, or chemical exposure).
Assemblies
- Role: Combine tubes, wires, and components into functional sensor units, like RTD probes, piezoelectric assemblies, or fiber-optic sensors.
- Techniques: Laser welding (for seams as small as 0.2mm), overmolding, or crimping ensures durability and signal integrity.
- Applications: Found in everything from industrial automation (e.g., flow monitoring) to healthcare (e.g., catheter-based sensors).
These elements are often produced by specialized manufacturers who prioritize precision, repeatability, and compliance with standards like ISO 9001 or medical-grade certifications. Advances in non-contact optical measurement (e.g., systems like Hexagon’s TubeInspect, noted in recent industry buzz) are also enhancing quality control for these parts, ensuring they meet exact specs for sensor performance.
Talk to us about your project.
Tullamed
Based in County Clare, Ireland, and Oxford, UK, our business is to research, develop and refine precision manufacturing and coating processes. We manufacture ultra-precise mandrels for use in catheter manufacture, extrusion and inspection of polymer tube and metal hypotube. Our wire straightening, centreless grinding, CNC machining and laser-based manufacturing processes are geared to making specialised components and assemblies for medical devices.
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Ireland Office
Tullamed Limited
M5 Smithstown Industrial Estate
Shannon
V14 YT61
UK Office:
Tullamed Technologies Limited
North Leigh Business Park
North Leigh
Witney
OX29 6SW