Micro coil winding is rapidly gaining importance in the medical field. Medical devices have become very crucial in the modern era, considering the immense growth in terms of non-invasive surgeries. The micro coils are wound as per the desired requirements and are then utilized in the medical devices. Micro coils are very thin in size, lesser than the size of human hair – and this is why they have such a high demand. Not only is the application simpler, but it is also highly durable, thus making it the gold standard for the micro coil devices.
We might be wondering how the micro coil winding takes place. It is quite interesting to know in detail about the process of winding wires, which are thinner than the human hair.
Winding of the micro coil: An in-depth analysis
Winding of the micro coil is a very sensitive process as it involves using the thin wires, thus preventing any interference within them is very crucial. The main aim is the production of electromagnetic fields, once the current passes through the electrical wires. The wires are wound in different shapes, as per the requirement – which further decides the electromagnetic field being produced in micro coil devices.
The shape of the winding is dependent on 3 crucial factors:
- Resistance of the micro coil wires
- Strength of the magnetic field being produced
- Inductance of the coil
The micro coil winding is a highly automated process, due to the sensitivity and the minuteness of the material being handled. Automation results in an improved efficiency with a reduced chances of error – thus saving the manpower cost as well. Depending on the shape of the micro coil devices, the winding varies – thus the capabilities of the machinery also vary with it. Orthocyclic winding is a highly preferred mode, since it takes less space with one layer of wire being placed over the other – hence improving the efficiency of it. It results in an improved heat distribution and stronger magnetic field properties.
Micro coil winding has its own set of challenges – and to deal with them, special expertise is needed – to make the winding process smoother.
Major Challenges in Micro Coil Winding Method
The major challenges arise due to the size of the micro coils. Understanding the need of ultra-fine micro coils; the winding mainly faces the following challenges:
- Insulation between the wires becomes quite difficult to handle, as the wires are placed close to each other.
- Lack of space for winding the micro coils as the integration demands the sizes to be miniaturized
- Automation & bulk production means demand for the ultra-advanced machinery
- Twisting of the wires during the winding process can increase the efforts in micro coil winding.
Growth of micro coil winding in recent times
The onset of higher demand for the micro devices has led to growth in the micro coil winding. With the US medical device manufacturing market currently sized a little close to $180 Bn, with an estimated growth rate of 5% (CAGR), the future for the micro coil winding looks very bright. A larger growth is expected in the diagnostic imaging – wherein the micro coil medical devices have a larger share – thus, a promising growth is envisaged.
