Patent ID: 8304012

Claim:
A method of drying a stent, comprising: providing a stent in a chamber, the stent having a coating material including a polymer and a solvent applied to the stent; directing a fluid stream at the stent to remove at least a portion of the coating material; measuring a temperature of the fluid stream at a location adjacent to the stent; and controlling a temperature of the fluid stream based on the measured temperature so as to maintain a desired temperature adjacent to the stent, wherein the chamber is configured to receive the stent having the coating material including the polymer and the solvent and the chamber is adapted to receive the fluid stream that contacts the coated stent for removing at least a portion of the coating material; a temperature sensor is adjacent to the stent for measuring a temperature of the fluid stream contacting the stent; a controller is in communication with the sensor, wherein the controller adjusts a temperature of the fluid stream based on the measured temperature so as to maintain a desired temperature of the fluid stream contacting the stent; and a second temperature sensor is adjacent to the stent for monitoring the temperature of the stent independent of the controller.