Inverted stent cutting process
View Patent ↗A stent manufacturing device and methods for making intravascular stents and other medical devices. The stent manufacturing device may include a base, a laser or other cutting device coupled to the base, a horizontal motor coupled to the base, and a rotary motor coupled to the horizontal motor. A workpiece can be attached to the cutting device, for example adjacent the rotary motor, and the workpiece can be cut with the cutting device.
1. A device for manufacturing an intravascular stent, comprising:
a base having a first surface and a second surface;
a laser cutting system attached to the first surface of the base, wherein the laser cutting system includes a laser/water jet hybrid;
a linear motor attached to the second surface of the base;
a rotary motor coupled to the linear motor, wherein the rotary motor is positioned below the linear motor;
a workpiece coupled to the rotary motor, the workpiece positioned below the linear motor;
a pre-cut guide coupled to the workpiece; and
a post-cut guide coupled to the workpiece.
2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid that is passed onto or through the workpiece.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the base includes granite.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the linear motor is configured to move the workpiece horizontally.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the linear motor is upside-down.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the laser cutting system is configured to transmit laser energy in the horizontal direction.
7. The device of claim 6 , further comprising a tuning mirror that reflects the horizontally transmitted laser energy from the horizontal direction to the vertical direction.
8. A device for cutting a stent from a tube, comprising:
a base member having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a first motor having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the first motor being attached to the bottom surface of the base member, such that the first motor is attached upside-down to the base member;
a laser cutting device attached to the top surface of the base member, wherein the laser cutting system includes a laser/water jet hybrid;
a rotary motor attached to the first motor, wherein the rotary motor is positioned below the first motor; and
a tubular workpiece connected to the rotary motor;
wherein the tubular workpiece is positioned below the first motor.
9. The device of claim 8 , further comprising one or more guides coupled to the base member.
10. The device of claim 8 , further comprising one or more guides coupled to a base portion of the first motor.
11. The device of claim 8 , further comprising one or more guides coupled to an interface plate of the first motor.
12. The device of claim 8 , further comprising a fluid that is passed onto or through the workpiece.
13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the base member includes granite.
14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the first motor is configured to move a workpiece horizontally.