ABSTRACT
Basic Forming Operations .......................................................................... 52 The Hot-Air Station...................................................................................... 53 Hot-Air Station Setup................................................................................... 54 Types of Compressors................................................................................. 54 Particle Filters...............................................................................................54 Moisture Filters.............................................................................................54 Safety ............................................................................................................55 Features and User Controls ........................................................................ 55
Temperature Gauge................................................................................. 55 Airflow Control and Airflow Gauge ...................................................... 55 Thermal Nozzle ....................................................................................... 56 Cooling Air Nozzle.................................................................................. 56
Basic Forming Operations .......................................................................... 56 Mandrels...................................................................................................56 Glass Molds..............................................................................................57 Balloon Blowing...................................................................................... 57
A History of the Development of Glass Catheter Molds ......................... 59 Hole Punching .............................................................................................61 Slug Ejection.................................................................................................61 Automated Hole Punching.......................................................................... 62 Balloon Dip Molds ...................................................................................... 63
Conclusion....................................................................................................65 Resources......................................................................................................65 Acknowledgments........................................................................................ 65
Charles Dotter, considered the father of catheter-based interventional radiology, once said: “My favorite conceptual trademark is a sketch that I did years ago of a crossed pipe and wrench. It’s a gross oversimplification, of course, but what it means to me is that if a plumber can do it to pipes, we can do it to blood vessels.”1
