PHILADELPHIA — Couplings and connections molder Colder Products Co. introduced a plastic connector that it billed as the smallest available at the recent MD&M East medical-device trade show in Philadelphia.
The NS1 Series quick disconnect coupling includes non-spill shutoff valves to prevent last-minute drips, ultra-low air inclusion which also minimizes possible exposure to contaminants and eliminates the need to purge air bubbles from tubing systems — and is designed specifically for precise connections in tubing sizes less than 1/8 inch.
While available across markets for applications such as printing and ink handling, the NS1 was initially conceived with applications in in vitro diagnostics and biomedical applications in mind, said Jim Brown, Colder's medical market business unit manager.
"As devices become smaller — and in fluid paths, the flow accuracy and precision increases — the need for a connector this size becomes obvious," he said. "We tried some solutions with some of our standard tubes and fairings and they worked but they weren't non-spill. And the feedback we got was that even our smallest non-spill coupling was still too big."
The NS1 is designed with a combination of PEEK and filled and unfilled PP for an optimal combination of material strength, connection precision and affordability, Brown said. It joins St. Paul, Minn.,-based Colder's catalogue of more than 10,000 connectors, all with the signature "Colder click" on connection.
