Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a needle assembly that includes a needle having a textured portion and non-textured portion adjacent to the textured portion, and a hub arranged over at least a part of the textured portion of the needle. The textured portion includes laser etched grooves formed on an outer surface of the needle and oriented in a circumferential direction of the needle. Each of the laser etched grooves has two protruded portions and a dented portion interposed between the two protruded portions. Each of the two protruded portions has a top surface located above an outer surface of non-textured portion, and the dented portion has a bottom surface located below the outer surface of non-textured portion.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a cassette (2) comprising a product conveying path (1, 1a, 1b) and a shut-off device (19a, 19b) integrated into the cassette for interrupting a product flow. The shut-off device is arranged at a rim of the cassette such that the shut-off device (19a, 19b) can be directly operated manually and/or mechanically. The product-conveying path (1, 1a, 1b) leads through the shut-off device (19a, 19b). The cassette consists of a lower part (5) and an upper part (7) which are connectable to each other by connecting means (9, 11, 13, 15).