A positioning method for balloon coating by which the thickness and morphological form of a drug in a coating formed on a balloon can be suitably set. This method is a positioning method for balloon coating for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The positioning method includes a positioning step in which a dispensing tube is moved, from a state of non-contact with the balloon, in a direction intersecting the extending direction of the dispensing tube, and an opening portion-formed end portion side of the dispensing tube formed at its end portion with an opening portion for discharging a coating solution is thereby placed in contact with the outer surface of the balloon.

A vehicle wheel decoration method includes a setting step of detachably holding a wheel body in the holding member such that the wheel design face faces the discharge nozzle, and a decoration step of forming a decorative layer on the wheel design face by discharging paint from a discharge opening of the discharge nozzle toward the wheel design face while relatively moving the discharge nozzle in two directions with respect to the wheel design face of the wheel body held in the holding member, and, in the decoration step, the wheel body is relatively inclined in a direction which crosses moving directions toward the two directions by a relative move of one of the discharge nozzle and the holding member or relative moves of both of the discharge nozzle and the holding member, and the discharge opening of the discharge nozzle is relatively moved in the two directions.

A painting apparatus for painting objects having three comparable dimensions includes a paint delivery system delivering paint supplied by an external system. The paint delivery system is supported by a carriage which, through an axle, moves on a guidance system having a shape that mimicks the shape of the object to be painted. The carriage is displaced along the guiding system by a controlled actuating system and the guidance system is optionally a hollow guide. A method for painting objects having three comparable dimensions is also disclosed.

Disclosed are stent holding devices having a support mandrel and one or more stent retaining fixtures disposed on the mandrel. The retaining fixture may include a character identifier to facilitate tracking a stent mounted on the holding device. The retaining fixture may include a conical protrusion and a conical recess to allow any number of retaining fixtures to engage each other and be stacked on the mandrel. The retaining fixture may include a tubular member having a spiral cut that enables the diameter of the tubular member to be adjusted to allow for a frictional fit on the mandrel. The retaining fixture may have a Z-shaped or T-shaped structure configured to retain a stent. The stent retaining fixture may also have a filament for retaining a stent.

A balloon coating method is disclosed, which includes an application step in which, where a flexible dispensing tube for supplying a coating solution containing the water-insoluble drug and a solvent is formed at its end portion with an opening portion for discharging the coating solution therethrough and when the opening portion-formed end portion side of the dispensing tube is kept in contact with the outer surface of the balloon in such a manner as to be oriented in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the balloon while the balloon is rotated about an axis of the balloon, the coating solution is discharged through the opening portion and applied to the outer surface of the balloon while the dispensing tube is moved relative to the balloon in an axial direction X of the balloon.

A positioning method for balloon coating by which the thickness, morphological form and the like of a drug in a coating formed on a balloon can be suitably set. This method is a positioning method for balloon coating for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The positioning method includes a positioning step in which the dispensing tube is positioned in such a manner that a virtual position at which an opening portion would be located if the dispensing tube is assumed to be non-flexible is located within the range of 0 degrees to 40 degrees from the reference plane toward the rotating direction side of the balloon, in a region extending from the reference plane in a direction opposite to the discharge direction of the dispensing tube.

Embodiments herein include apparatus and methods for coating medical devices. In an embodiment, a coating apparatus is included having a coating application unit including a movement restriction structure, a fluid applicator having a lengthwise major axis, a fluid distribution bar having a body angled with respect to the major lengthwise axis of the fluid applicator between 0 and 20 degrees, a rotation mechanism and an axial motion mechanism. The axial motion mechanism configured to cause movement of at least one of the coating application unit and the rotation mechanism with respect to one another. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Methods for simultaneously dispensing a first fluid pattern at a first dispense region with a first applicator and a second fluid pattern at a second dispense region with a second applicator. The first and second applicators are moved toward their respective dispense regions with a positioner. While dispensing, the second applicator is moved relative to the first applicator in a direction or directions parallel to a first axis, a second axis, and/or a third axis, the axes being mutually orthogonal. The first dispense region may be provided with a unique first tilt and/or a unique first contour relative to the reference plane and along the third axis. Systems for dispensing fluid include a primary positioner supporting a first applicator, and a secondary positioner coupled to the primary positioner and supporting a second applicator and configured to move the second applicator relative to the first applicator.

Methods for simultaneously dispensing a first fluid pattern at a first dispense region with a first applicator and a second fluid pattern at a second dispense region with a second applicator. The first and second applicators are moved toward their respective dispense regions with a positioner. While dispensing, the second applicator is moved relative to the first applicator in a direction or directions parallel to a first axis, a second axis, and/or a third axis, the axes being mutually orthogonal. The first dispense region may be provided with a unique first tilt and/or a unique first contour relative to the reference plane and along the third axis. Systems for dispensing fluid include a primary positioner supporting a first applicator, and a secondary positioner coupled to the primary positioner and supporting a second applicator and configured to move the second applicator relative to the first applicator.

A process for producing a preform by cold spray deposition, the process comprising: providing a starter substrate about a preform axis of rotation, the starter substrate having at least one axial end having a substantially flat deposition surface; rotating the starter substrate about the preform axis of rotation; depositing material onto the deposition surface of the starter substrate using cold spray deposition to form a product deposition surface, the cold spray deposition process including a cold spray applicator through which the material is sprayed onto the deposition surface; successively depositing material onto a respective top product deposition surface using cold spray deposition to form successive deposition layers of the material; and moving at least one of: the cold spray applicator; or the starter substrate and preform product, relative to the other in an axial direction along the preform axis of rotation to maintain a constant distance between the cold spray applicator and the top product deposition surface, thereby forming a preform product of a selected length, wherein the cold spray applicator is moved in a plane perpendicular to the preform axis of rotation so as to deposit material as a substantially flat surface on each respective deposition surface of the starter substrate or product deposition surface of the preform product.