724-584-5500
At MD&M West/Plastec West 2026, Conair Group, together with technology partners Davis-Standard and Zumbach Electronics, will demonstrate the extrusion of a dual-lumen paratube made of flexible, transparent PVC. This demonstration will be ongoing in Booth 4421 during the tradeshow held in Anaheim, CA, February 3-5, 2026.
The paratube being produced live at the Conair booth is actually extruded as two separate tubes that are joined after they exit the 2-inch Davis Standard 2″, 24:1 medical extruder equipped with XEL controls. The paratube forms when the two hot extruded tubes, each 0.150 inch OD with a 0.020 inch wall, are gently pushed together in a water-cooled, dual-roller assembly near the exit of a Guill GTN 919 paratube die. The pull strength of the joined tubes, which can be pulled apart to form passageways for IV fluid and drug delivery, irrigation, fluid evacuation, or other interventions, is determined based on the relative position of the dual-roller assembly to the die exit (e.g., closer positioning means less cooling, hotter tube walls, a deeper plastic joint, and higher pull strength).
The dual-tube segments are extruded using Teknor Apex Flex PVC resin, delivered to the 2-inch Davis Standard medical extruder using a Conair Access AL-2 loader. Process cooling and temperature control for the extruder, die, and downstream equipment are provided by a Conair EP1A-02 portable chiller and a Thermolator TW-T temperature control unit.
In operation, the Davis Standard extruder drives the flexible PVC extrudate at a constant speed through the Guill GTN 919 paratube die. Air delivered by two Zumbach SPV digital airboxes is injected into each line of the die to create and help maintain a consistent ID within each tube. After the two hot tube segments are joined in the roller assembly near the exit of the die, they pass into a water-filled pre-skinner sizing/calibration tool, which uses a wafer-thin, vacuum-controlled layer of water atop a sizing ring to lubricate, pre-skin, and shape the tube OD. Such “non-contact” sizing prevents frictional damage to the extruded PVC structure. Zumbach’s Wallmaster system makes multiple wall measurements of each tube at this position, ensuring the appropriate dimensions while providing a cross-sectional view of the tube.
The extrudate then continues into a Conair MedVac 238 vacuum cooling tank, equipped with a PAVC vacuum control that uses multi-step pressure regulation to ensure a laminar flow of cooling water over the tube OD. The MedVac tank is optimized for medical production, including electropolished stainless steel surfaces, UV light water purification, and a 5-micron filter system. Inside, a Zumbach UMAC ultrasonic device measures the tube wall thickness, while at the tank exit, a Zumbach ODAC laser device measures tube OD providing full OD-ID-Wall dimensions of the tubing.
At the center of the downstream extrusion line, a Conair Medline MDL 1-12S puller/cutter unit draws the extruded tube forward using a 1 x 12-in. belt drive. The control processes data from the upstream measurement devices, then manages line speed and air pressure to maintain consistent and precise product dimensions. A 10-inch color touchscreen HMI mounted on the puller/cutter unit provides users with programming access. The cutter assembly is equipped with air-assisted cutter bushings that create a gentle venturi around the PVC tube prior to the cut. The venturi effect eliminates friction and hang-ups within the cutter bushings and ensures consistent, accurate segments of cut tubing. After cutting, the finished 18-inch paratube segments drop onto a six-foot-long Conair Medline MTAC 406 conveyor for offloading.
The Conair Group (www.conairgroup.com) is a world-leading supplier of plastics auxiliary equipment and systems. Our equipment line includes more than 450 innovative auxiliary products for plastics molders and extruders around the world. Our product range features resin-drying systems, blenders, feeders and material-conveying systems, temperature-control equipment, and granulation and recycling products. Extrusion solutions include line-control systems, film and sheet scrap-reclaim systems, and downstream equipment for pipe and profile extrusion. Conair also combines specialized expertise in every major end market – such as automotive, packaging, medical, transportation, building and construction, and many others – with the technical and engineering resources needed to deliver sustainable, fully-integrated system solutions that Make Every Pellet Count.
