Process for producing a three-dimensionally shaped article, comprising the steps a) providing a structure containing a plurality of consolidated films or tapes of uni-directionally oriented polymer, b) forming the structure into a three-dimensionally shaped article by applying a force at a temperature below the melting point of the oriented polymer.

High strength biomedical materials and processes for making the same are disclosed. Included in the disclosure are nanoporous hydrophilic solids that can be extruded with a high aspect ratio to make high strength medical catheters and other devices with lubricious and biocompatible surfaces.

The invention relates to a device (1) for forming a tube head blank (2a) of a tube blank (2) so that a tube blank with a finished tube head (2c) is obtained. It comprises a lower tool (3) with a lower tool body (3a) and a free end (3b) which has an outer shape corresponding to an inner shape of the finished tube head, over which lower tool the tube blank can be pulled so that the tube head blank to be formed comes to lie around the free end. It further comprises an upper tool (4) which can be lowered onto the lower tool with the tube blank pulled-over. The upper tool has an upper head end piece (5) with forming jaws (5a), which together form a first recess (6) that defines an outer shape of the finished tube head. The upper head end piece comprises an actuating device (5c, 7) for opening and closing the forming jaws. The device further comprises a temperature control system for heating the upper tool to a temperature as intended. The tube head blank comes to rest in the first recess and can be formed into the finished tube head between the closed forming jaws and the free end of the lower mold.