MedTech Unboxed: Presented by Chamfr
MedTech Unboxed is Chamfr’s 20–40 minute podcast built specifically for MedTech R&D teams. Each episode brings together startup founders, visionary engineers, suppliers, and investors to unpack what’s next in materials, methods, and device technology.
By connecting design decisions to funding realities and manufacturability, the show offers a cross-functional view of how great medical devices actually make it to market, giving engineers and innovators practical insight they can apply beyond the lab.
All Episodes
PTFE & Emerging Lubricious Polymer Platforms for Catheter Development
PTFE has earned its place as the gold standard for catheter liners, but the lowest coefficient of friction is no longer the only factor R&D teams need to consider. In this episode of MedTech Unboxed, Steve talks with Benny Cheung, Technical Lead at Dynaflex Technologies Inc., about PTFE and emerging lubricious polymer platforms for catheter-based medical devices. They explore where PTFE still excels, particularly in ultra-thin-wall and demanding catheter applications, and how evolving device requirements are expanding material options for engineers. The conversation builds on Dynaflex’s recent white paper, “PTFE: Proven Performance, Rising Constraints in Catheter-Based Medical Devices,” taking a deeper look at the latest considerations affecting catheter liner selection. Benny dives into how liner selection can affect bonding, delamination, distal flexibility, torque response, manufacturability, and the overall catheter design. He also discusses how emerging thermoplastic liner technologies, including EverGlide+, a PFAS-free platform, can give engineers additional flexibility around durometer, material interfaces, laser-cut hypotube designs, and sterilization strategy.Built for Speed: Inside RPM Micro Solutions’ Approach to MedTech Micro Molding
In this episode of MedTech Unboxed, Steve talks with Gary Hulecki, CEO of RPM Micro Solutions, and Mark Bonifacio, Board Member, RPM Micro Solutions, about their approach to helping MedTech teams move complex micro-molded components from design to manufacturing faster. They discuss how RPM was built around experienced talent, significant equipment investment, in-house tooling, and US-based operations focused on addressing development challenges earlier. This conversation explores why micro molding requires a different mindset from conventional molding. Gary and Mark dive into how design for manufacturing (DFM), tool design, scientific molding, material behavior, automation, and micron-level metrology must work together from the beginning. They also discuss implant-grade PEEK, filled polymers, bioresorbables, drug-loaded materials, and why material processing can be just as important as the original formulation. Get a practical look at how earlier collaboration can reduce development friction, expose design risks sooner, and create a clearer path toward scalable manufacturing.Under Pressure: The Hidden Challenges in Medical Balloon Manufacturing
Behind every medical balloon is a manufacturing process that is far more complex than most people realize. In this episode of MedTech Unboxed, Steve talks with Nate Fatkhiyev, Director of Balloon Technology at LightningCath, about why medical balloons are much harder to make than they look. Building off Nate’s recent presentation at MPP East, their conversation walks through the full balloon manufacturing journey, from extrusion to blow molding to final testing. Nate shares why material consistency, tube geometry, and process control matter so much in real-world balloon performance. He also breaks down why dimensions like ID, wall thickness, and centricity are so critical, how defects like draw lines, gels, and fish-eyes can show up in finished balloons, and why burst, compliance, and fatigue testing are essential for ensuring safety and consistency. You'll get a practical look at one of the most overlooked parts of catheter development.Inside E2’s Hēlo System: A New Approach to Pulmonary Embolism Thrombectomy
Advancements in pulmonary embolism thrombectomy have improved patient outcomes, but the core tradeoff has remained the same: go big for peripheral clot capture and accept more procedural burden, or stay smaller and sacrifice efficiency. In this episode of MedTech Unboxed, Steve talks with Dan Rose, CEO of E2 - Endovascular Engineering, about the unmet need in pulmonary embolism treatment and how E2’s Hēlo Thrombectomy System is designed to rethink that tradeoff. Their conversation unpacks the technology behind the Hēlo platform, including its combination of a 24-French clot engagement zone with a 15-French heart-crossing catheter, plus aspiration and mechanical agitation to engage, break down, and remove clot while returning blood in real time. Dan also shares what the team has seen in early clinical data, including strong clot-burden reduction and very low blood loss, and what that could mean for the future of pulmonary embolism thrombectomy.