I'm joined by Ross Peterson, Chief Business Development Officer at ProPlate, as we explore the specialized world of metallization and electroplating for medical devices, from life-saving pediatric applications to cutting-edge energy delivery systems.
In this episode, we dive deep into:

The Science of Medical Device Metallization
→ How electroplating adds metal microinches at a time using electrical current and metal ion chemistry
→ Why vacuum deposition is required to metalize non-conductive polymers like balloon catheters
→ The four primary applications: stimulation, ablation, sensing, mapping, and radio opacity

Rare Earth Magnet Plating Mastery
→ How ProPlate became the only company in North America capable of electroplating neodymium magnets
→ Why these strongest commercially available magnets corrode in open air and are extremely toxic unprotected
→ The supply chain implications of China's dominance in rare earth materials

Life-Saving Pediatric Innovation
→ The heartwarming story of plating magnets for UCSF Berkeley's esophageal atresia treatment device
→ How magnetic anastomosis creates a non-invasive solution for babies born with disconnected esophagus
→ Why receiving a Christmas photo from a healthy patient family became the ultimate reward

Next-Generation Electrode Technology
→ How replacing thick platinum iridium with stainless steel and selective precious metal plating cuts costs 50%+
→ The game-changing potential for PFA devices using 20-30 electrodes per device
→ Why traditional marker band methods fail on miniaturized, flexible stents

Advanced Manufacturing Capabilities
→ The shift from wet chemistry to PVD processes for superior polymer compatibility
→ How batch processing beats one-by-one crimping for complex geometries
→ Creating marker bands under 2 French with wall thicknesses under 1 mil

Best Quotes:
"One in 3,000 babies are born with esophageal atresia. If anything, this is something that we should be working on."

"The first few batches came out with no magnets left. They disintegrated, they were rusted."

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Ross's LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-peterson-proplatetech/
ProPlate Website - https://www.proplate.com/

Episode Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction to Ross Peterson and ProPlate
5:00 - Electroplating explained for fourth graders
12:00 - Rare earth magnet challenges and supply chain
18:00 - Life-saving pediatric esophageal atresia project
25:00 - Working with startups vs large strategics
30:00 - Future opportunities in electrode technology