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Did you know Medical Injection Molding is a 2.6 billion dollar industry? Breaking that down that’s 1.98 billion dollars in the US alone!
It serves some major industries as well:
- Surgical Equipment,
- Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Devices,
- Anesthesia Products,
- Patient Monitoring Equipment,
- Hospital Furniture,
- Sterilization Products.
Learn about medical injection molding
Medical injection molding is a manufacturing process that uses plastic parts to create medical devices, such as syringes and surgical tools. It is also used to make cosmetic products, such as lipstick and mascara tubes.
1.Melting
The heated barrel and rotating screw is fed with material from the hopper.
By heat, friction, and shear force, the material melted by the rotation of the screw is forced through a check valve to the front.
2.Injection
The screw is forced forward from the back end by a hydraulic ram after having been moved forward by the shot of material at the front.
3.Cooling
The tool remains closed until the plastic has completely cooled and hardened in the mould tool cavity. This is usually the longest portion of the injection moulding process.
4.Ejection
The next moulding is performed by back-moving the screw. The tool opens and the plastic part is ejected. Next, the tool closes, and the injection molding process is repeated at 1.
Medical injection molding is a process that has revolutionized the medical device industry. It enables precision-molded parts with high quality and reliability for use in implantable devices and other critical applications. Medical product designers can now create new products faster than ever before using this innovative technique, which has become an essential part of the innovation cycle in healthcare manufacturing today.
Medical Injection Molding Applications
Medical injection molding is a process that can be used to create a wide range of medical devices including syringes, IV catheters, tubing and surgical instruments. In fact, the majority of products made from plastic are created via medical injection molding.
This process involves creating plastic molds of medical devices to create products that are specifically designed for use in medical markets. Injection molding is a powerful tool that can be used to create medical products that are highly durable and efficient.
Some of the key applications for injection molding include the manufacturing of implants and other medical devices, as well as the production of plastic parts. The process can be used to create high-quality products at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods.
Common Resins Used in Medical Molding
The most common resins used in medical injection molding are polyurethane, polycarbonate, PEEK and Teflon.
Polyurethane
A type of rubber that is commonly used in products like inflators and airbags. It’s made from two liquids, urea and formaldehyde, which are combined to form a polymer. This polymer can be stretched or compressed, and it has a high resistance to tear-offs.
Polycarbonate
A thermoplastic with good impact properties that can be sterilized by gamma radiation or by exposure to electron beams at high temperatures. It is used in the manufacture of corneal lenses and intraocular lens implants.
PEEK (Polyether Ether Ketone)
A semi-crystalline thermoplastic that has high strength and stiffness combined with excellent dimensional stability under both static load and dynamic stress situations.
Teflon
A fluoropolymer resin known for its non-stick surface properties which make it ideal for medical devices such as syringes or catheters where there may be contact between bodily fluids and their surfaces
Pre-production Testing and Validation
Pre-production testing and validation of the injection molding process should be a part of your company’s quality control program. This can range from simple process checks to more complex, full-scale testing of production tools and procedures. The main purpose is to ensure that all operations are being performed as required by the design specification.
Pre-production testing includes:
- Isometric drawings for every detail of the tooling, including orientation marks, thicknesses, radii, parting lines, ejector pins and sprue locations
- Electrical requirements for components or subassemblies (e.g., motors and drivers)
- Mechanical requirements for components or subassemblies (e.g., bearings)
Prototyping and Development
- Prototyping and Development:
Prototyping is the process of creating a prototype, or model, of an object. It is used in many fields such as engineering and design to test out new ideas before they’re manufactured on a large scale. In injection molding, prototypes are often used by product developers to test out the mechanical properties of their design before it goes into production.
A prototype can be made in various ways depending on what your needs are for testing purposes. Some common types include:
- Handmade: A handmade prototype may be the fastest way to get something up and running, but it may not function as well as you would like due to issues with fit or finish. Because these types of prototypes aren’t created with manufacturing processes in mind, they also tend not to last very long before breaking down completely (if they even survive at all).
- 3D Printed: Using 3D printed materials like ABS plastic allows you to produce more durable models that can withstand rigorous testing without breaking down too quickly over time unless intentionally damaged by someone trying something new out!
Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
Design for manufacturability (DFM) is a process of designing and creating products that can be produced by a manufacturing company. DFM applies to product design, manufacturing, and assembly processes. The goal of DFM is to make products that are durable, reliable, and cost-effective.
DFM can help to reduce the time needed to manufacture a product, as well as helping to reduce the cost of manufacturing a product.
For example, if you have an injection molding part that requires 20 different tooling components, using DFM may allow you to eliminate 9-12 components from your design. This will result in fewer molds being required and therefore less costs spent on tooling.
There are several benefits to implementing DFM into a manufacturing company. By ensuring that products are designed for manufacturability, manufacturers can save time and money while improving the quality of their products. Additionally,DFM can help companies reduce the risk of product failure or defects. By taking these steps, manufacturers can ensure that their products are not only durable but also easy to use and maintain.
Conclusion
Medical injection molding is a complex process that requires a lot of expertise and experience. In this article, we’ve outlined the key aspects of medical injection molding with an emphasis on its advantages and disadvantages. We hope you’ve found some useful information in this blog post that will help you make informed decisions when considering your next project!
