RK Rack Winder

The RK Rack Winder is an easy way to prepare braided suture material for needle attaching. The suture ends are tipped (stiffened) so they can be easily inserted into the needles and sutures are cut to their required length.

  • Size: 48″ wide x 42″ deep
  • Workspace: 80″ x 80″
  • Yield: 2,000/hour

How It Works

The braided suture material is wound from a spool on to a rack, approximately 200 sutures/rack. The circumference of the rack determines suture length. The speed of the rack is adjustable, at 65 rpm (recommended speed); a rack of 200 sutures would take approximately three minutes.

Suture-Cutting Fixture

RK Rack Winder

The suture cutting fixture is used to secure suture in place for optimal cutting and ease of packaging cut suture.

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Note: It is recommended to have three racks for each required suture length. This allows one rack to be wound, while adhesive is applied to another and sutures are cut from the third rack. Using three racks, the operator should yield approximately 2,000 tipped sutures per hour. The racks are not adjustable and are made per your specific suture length requirements.

After the rack is wound, it is removed and placed on a table, where a medical-grade cyanoacrylate adhesive is applied to a two-inch (or as required) portion of the sutures. The adhesive is applied by hand using a small piece of foam and cures in three minutes.

After the adhesive has cured, the suture rack is placed into the suture-cutting fixture as shown. The sutures are held in position and cut from the rack using a handheld rotary knife. The sutures are cut through the two-inch tipped portion, leaving a one-inch tipped length at the end of each suture.