received by the International Bureau on 05 March 2015 (05.03.2015)

1. Apparatus (110) for processing a hypodermic needle (2), comprising:

a housing ( 12) comprising an aperture (114) leading to a containment cylinder (118) for receiving, and constraining, the needle (2) within it;

a first electrode (16) for contacting the needle (2) near a first end;

a second electrode (20) for contacting the needle (2) at its sharp end;

a control system, operable to cause a current to flow in the needle (2) between said first (16) and second (20) electrodes, whereby said current causes the needle (2) to soften and wherein the second electrode (20) is arranged to move within the containment cylinder (118) and to provide an axial compressive force to the needle (2) along the needle's axis, characterised by:

the containment cylinder (118) comprising a heater (300) adapted, in use, to heat the needle (2).

2. Apparatus (110) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the heater (300) takes the form of a thermostatically controlled heating coil which surrounds the containment cylinder (118).

3. Apparatus (110) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the containment cylinder (118) is operably connected to a gas source, whereby a gas is passed through the cylinder (1 8) during the processing.

4. Apparatus (110) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the gas is selected from one or more of: atmospheric gas; carbon dioxide; argon; or other substantially inert gas.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the containment cylinder (118) is arranged such that as the second electrode (20) provides the axial compressive force, the mass of the needle (20) is contained within the cylinder (118).

6. Apparatus (110) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the control system causes a current to flow in the needle (2) by direct contact with the needle (20) or by inducing a current in the needle (2).

7. Apparatus (1 0) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second electrode (20) comprises a piston.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the piston (20) comprises an indentation in which, in use, rests the sharp tip of the needle (2).

9. Apparatus (110) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus (110) comprises locking means to grip the needle at a hub and secure it in place for subsequent processing.

10. Apparatus (110) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the locking means comprises a pair of slidable clamps (16) mounted on a common shaft (13), each clamp (16) being driven by a relatively opposite-threaded screw thread.

11. Apparatus (110) as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a pair of guide blocks (7), each forming one half of a conical channel such that when the guide blocks (7) are mated together, the conical channel is operable to guide the needle (2).

12. Apparatus (110) as claimed in any of claims 7 to 11 , wherein the axial compressive force is provided by one of a motor (28), a solenoid, a spring or manual force.

13. Apparatus (110) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein means are provided to select one of a plurality of operational programs.

14. Apparatus (110) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the means for selecting one of a plurality of operational programs comprises means for determining at least one of a set of physical properties of possible needles (2).

15. Apparatus (110) as claimed in claim 14, wherein the set of physical properties includes one or more of: length, thickness and electrical resistance.

16. Apparatus (110) as claimed in any of claims 6 to 15, wherein the direct or induced current is applied according to a set program based on time, applied energy or computed needle temperature, dependant on the physical properties of the needle (2).