Faster, Smarter Catheter Testing: New Horizontal System Enhances Precision and Accelerates Product Development

With the new horizontal catheter testing system from ZwickRoell, manufacturers and development departments of interventional medical devices receive a powerful tool to optimize their testing processes: the modular platform enables realistic testing under clinic-like conditions. And it meets international standards (including ISO 10555, DIN EN ISO 25539, ASTM F623), a decisive advantage for companies that focus on quality, efficiency, and regulatory security.

KENNESAW, Ga., Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- To ensure patient safety, interventional medical devices such as catheters, guidewires, or introduction systems for heart valve implantations must be tested under realistic conditions. Thanks to the new horizontal testing system, clinical use can be simulated through combined feed and rotational movements, such as the performance characteristics of trackability, crossability, withdrawability, and pushability. 

The advantages: manufacturers receive reliable, reproducible test results that shorten development cycles, accelerate validation, and simplify regulatory documentation. In total, these are clear competitive advantages in a dynamic market environment.

Modularity and Ergonomics for Maximum Efficiency in Laboratory Operations

The testing platform offers flexible testing conditions, whether in a salt-resistant media bath, with individual anatomical models, or in a fluid-perfused tubing system. The height-adjustable testing level enables ergonomic working and quick setup. System-controlled processes minimize operating errors and increase process safety. And thanks to the modular architecture, the system can be easily expanded, for example, with additional sensors, actuators, or customer-specific requirements. In this way, the testing solution grows with the requirements of companies and remains usable in the long term. Through the precise feeding of test samples, cyclical testing requirements within anatomical models or individual test setups can be implemented exactly. Even with long samples, the feed and holding mechanism ensures highly precise measurement results. At the same time, data can be reliably collected by eliminating forces caused by friction/gravity. Submersible grips with integrated catheter centering and individually adjustable clamping force also ensure particularly precise handling and exact positioning of the samples, even under demanding testing conditions.

Standard-Compliant, Auditable, and Regulatory Robust

The testing system meets all relevant international standards (ISO 10555, DIN EN ISO 25539, ASTM F623, etc.) and can be adapted to customer-specific requirements. The time-synchronous video recording – above and below water – as well as the direct result display in testXpert enable transparent documentation and also allow retrospective detailed analysis for complex questions in the anatomical model and regulatory approvals. The holding/feed unit neutralizes friction and weight influences of the test body and ensures unadulterated force measurement data, a decisive factor for the validation of complex product designs.

Economic Efficiency and Investment Security

In addition to its technical performance, the system also convinces economically: The salt-resistant materials guarantee durability, the lightweight pegboard system with numbered rows and columns enables reproducible setups, quick cleaning, and reduces downtime. The high availability of the system increases productivity in the laboratory and reduces operating costs in the long term.

Clinically Relevant Testing Redefined

The horizontal testing system is more than a testing machine – it is a strategic tool for research and development, quality assurance, innovation promotion, and efficiency enhancement. It combines technical intelligence, clinical relevance, and economic scalability in a compact system.

About ZwickRoell

ZwickRoell is a leading global supplier of materials testing machines. With over 170 years of experience, the company provides innovative solutions for a wide range of industries, including pharmaceutical and medical devices. ZwickRoell is committed to delivering high-quality products and services to ensure the success of its customers worldwide.

Contact:

Karen Daurie/Marketing Manager
[email protected]
Ph: (678) 695-5716

ZwickRoell LP
1009 Market Center Drive NW
Kennesaw, GA 30144
www.ZwickRoell.com

SOURCE ZwickRoell