Hand someone this component, and they will almost always do the same thing: They rotate it, flex it, and try to work out how it stays together. That reaction is exactly why we made it. At first, it almost looks impossible. Every segment is completely separated from the next, yet the structure remains mechanically connected through its interlocking geometry alone. With its 25 mm diameter, the geometry becomes easy to explore by hand and even easier to understand. Interlocking designs like these are used wherever flexibility and controlled movement need to coexist, for example in steerable systems or cable-guiding applications. We regularly bring this Flextube, together with versions in smaller diameters, to trade fairs and customer meetings. It gives us a practical way to explore different cutting patterns, movement characteristics, and manufacturing possibilities long before a specific component has been designed. Choosing a manufacturing partner is not only about knowing what can be produced. It is also about understanding what becomes possible once manufacturing experience becomes part of the conversation. This Flextube was built for exactly that reason. It makes the possibilities of laser-cutting tangible, sparks curiosity, and often turns a simple "How does this work?" into "Could we use something like this for our device?"

A Nitinol component can meet every dimension on the drawing and still not behave as intended. At first, that sounds impossible. If every tolerance is met, shouldn't the component perform exactly as designed? For many implant alloys, geometry tells most of the story. With Nitinol, it doesn't. Its superelastic behavior depends on a reversible transformation within its crystal structure. And unlike geometry, that behavior isn't defined by the drawing alone. It is influenced by how the material has been processed. Every shape setting, every heat treatment and every surface-finishing step can influence the conditions under which that transformation takes place. The challenge is not simply producing the correct geometry. It is preserving the material's intended behavior while turning a tube into a functional and safe medical device. That is why experience matters. Not because Nitinol is mysterious but because understanding how laser processing, heat treatment and surface finishing interact takes years of observation , refinement and validation. Each process leaves its own fingerprint on the material. On their own, those changes may seem insignificant. Together, they determine whether the component ultimately exhibits the intended superelastic behavior, fatigue performance and reproducibility. It is this understanding that allows the finished component to perform exactly as the design intended.

Yesterday was the first day of DeviceTalks Boston, and for us a particularly exciting one, as we had the chance to speak at the Engineering Theater together with our friend Dharm Patel from Wytech Industries . We were very happy to see such strong interest in the session and the many follow-up conversations afterwards. Today, Fridtjof Strass , Laura Veneracion and Tim Fries are back at Booth #918 , directly opposite the Engineering Theater, and always open to continue the discussion around your projects, manufacturability, and the path from prototype to production. Come see us there!

As we prepare for our upcoming panel discussion on design for manufacturability at DeviceTalks Boston , hypotubes are a useful example of how early design choices can shape both function and production. A change in slot pattern, spacing, or wall thickness can affect pushability, torque response, and flexibility along the shaft. That is why two hypotubes that look similar on paper may behave quite differently in your hand. This is one reason we enjoy working with them at MeKo. The link between design, material, and manufacturing becomes very tangible. With standardized hypotube samples now available through our webshop at shop.meko.de , engineers can compare geometries early and explore what works before moving into custom manufacturing. Because comparing different geometries side by side helps turn early assumptions into clearer design decisions.

Next stop: DeviceTalks Boston . You will find us at Booth #918 , right opposite the Engineering Theater. If your project is moving toward manufacturing, this is a good place to stop and talk things through. On Wednesday at 11:45 , we will also be on stage with our good friends from Wytech Industries , walking you through what it takes to move smoothly from prototype to production. Whether at the talk or at the booth, we are always open to discuss the questions that come up along the way: materials, tolerances, and which decisions will save you actual time and money later.

SMST is in full motion and we are enjoying every second of it. If you are attending, come find Kai Leymann , Malte Ebermann and Laura Veneracion at Booth #100 . SMST has always been one of those places where discussions around Nitinol and superelastic materials quickly become very specific, in the best possible way. It is a great opportunity to exchange perspectives, catch up on current developments, and spend a few days surrounded by people who care about the details just as much as we do. That is what keeps bringing us back to SMST year after year.

Yesterday, Chris Janker and Tim Fries were on site at DeviceTalks Minnesota, right in the middle of conversations around project development: from early ideas to what actually works in production. Thank you to everyone who took the time to stop by and share their projects, questions, and perspectives. These exchanges are what make these events valuable. And yes, a few of our medals found new owners over the course of the day. We will bring the next batch with us to Boston . See you there!

From broad MedTech discussions to deep dives into shape memory alloys: DeviceTalks Minnesota and SMST in La Jolla both kick off next Monday, and our team will be part of both. Our project managers will be on site, ready to exchange on current ideas, open questions, and everything that comes up when projects move closer to manufacturing. Different locations, same mindset: open, technical, and focused on turning your idea into reality. If you are attending either event, we would be glad to meet and continue the conversation.

Some projects start with a clear path in mind. Others begin with a first idea that still needs to take shape. From a project management perspective, you see both almost every day. And you can usually tell quite early which direction a project might take. A prototype design might work. The real question is whether it works again. And again. That’s where many projects start to drift. Because tolerances are no longer just numbers on a drawing but something that needs to be repeatable and measurable in a stable process. That only works if the end application is clearly understood. What really matters for the device, which requirements are critical. And where design for manufacturing can simplify things without compromising function. If that conversation happens too late, things get difficult. Changes after validation has begun are not just adjustments. They affect timelines and often require going back to decisions that already felt settled. The projects that stand out follow a different path. There, development and manufacturing sit at the same table early and work through the details together. Milestone by milestone, things fall into place. Not by chance, but because the groundwork was there. You can see it in the way these projects progress. Less friction, clearer decisions, and a steady sense of momentum: from first drawings to prototypes, through validation and toward series. And that’s where the satisfaction comes from. Not from a single moment, but from solving these challenges together and seeing a project grow into something that runs reliably in the end. Those are the projects that bring a smile to everyone involved.

This week, Laura Veneracion from our US team (MeKo MedTech Inc.) is back in Sarstedt, bringing insights from recent customer visits and shows, along with new perspectives across teams. And as every German knows: April is when asparagus season begins. A small team dinner followed accordingly, but somewhere between good food and even better conversations, we didn’t get around to taking a photo. So today’s picture shows a few of us right after dinner, lined up outside the restaurant for a quick group shot. Great to have you here, Laura. And we’re already looking forward to the next visit from the US.

Our facility in Costa Rica is taking shape. Over the past months, our team on site has been building up the new cleanroom step by step. The layout is in place, with clearly separated areas, short paths, and defined access points to keep processes controlled from the beginning. Last week marked another step forward. The first cleanroom equipment arrived, from workstations and shelving to laminar flow units and the materials needed for daily operations. The next pieces are already on their way. A container from Sarstedt will be shipped soon, including our logo signs and equipment from our existing operations. It is still a work in progress, but each delivery brings us closer to opening.

Selecting the right marker size for a stent rarely happens in one step. Small changes in diameter or wall thickness can already change how markers appear in X-ray imaging. What looks fine on paper does not always translate into sufficient contrast for accurate placement during stent deployment. In many cases, this leads to multiple iterations just to answer a simple question: which configuration is actually visible enough? To make that comparison easier, we developed the MeKo marker card . It combines a Nitinol base design with tantalum, gold, or platinum markers in different diameters and strut widths. Arranged in a structured layout, the card allows direct comparison under X-ray within seconds . Its stent-like geometry mirrors how markers actually behave in a real implant. Instead of working through several prototype loops, the card reduces development time and removes guesswork early in the process. At MeKo, not every solution is part of the final implant. Some are built to support decisions before that stage. And with the marker card now available through our webshop at shop.meko.de , it can be easily integrated into early-stage evaluation.

Our new MeKo webshop is live! With more than 180 standardized components in stock , hypotubes and marker plates are now available to order, ready to support your R&D work whenever you need them. Check availability, review pricing, and place orders at your convenience. With fast shipping, moving from idea to testing becomes more immediate. Shop now at shop.meko.de And as your project evolves, our teams continue to support you all the way to customized solutions and series production.