Parker/TexMed Ft. Worth, Tex., (www.texmed.us) now offers laser markable fluoroplastic heat-shrinkable tubing to provide a protective covering or increase the lubricity of cabling, instruments, or catheters. This product is often used to splice together cabling or encapsulate wiring. The laser-marked sleeves allow for easy identification. Marks could be part numbers, text, bar codes, or logos, and they cannot be removed.

In the past, marking fluoroplastic tubing was unheard of because traditional inks would not adhere to the material. Laser marking, however, alters a pigment in the material, creating a visible mark on the product without adding ink or other contaminants.