In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the special requirements and specifications involved with plastic injection molding for medical equipment. As the medical industry is one where lives are regularly in the balance, parts manufactured for medical settings must be made with very high-quality specifications and part characteristics.
At EnviroTech Custom Injection Molders, we’re proud to provide plastic injection molding services for a huge range of industries, including medical equipment manufacturing. We regularly provide medical facilities with parts ranging from filtration plates and equipment housings to various bed frame components and more. In today’s part two of our series, we’ll go over a few other specifications within this realm, including the common resins used for medical products and some tips on quantity and cost considerations.
Common Products and Resins Used
There are a number of products out there within the medical device world that might be made using injection molding. They include plastic instruments, syringes and other one-time use products, but also include high-performance plastics used for things like artificial joints. In other cases, plastic polymers will be used to reduce the weight of certain hand-held medical equipment and make it easier to use.
There are several common resins used to create such medical products:
- Polyethylene: A light, flexible and durable plastic that’s common for dispensing bottles, IV tubes and certain implants. It may also be used for prosthetics in some cases. Because it cannot withstand high sterilization temperatures, however, it will not be used for products that require these.
- Polypropylene: Able to withstand extremely high temperatures, this material is ideal for reusable devices like syringes, test tubes and beakers.
- Polystyrene: A hard, stable and transparent plastic that’s often used for test tubes and diagnostic equipment.
- Polycarbonate: Heavily resistant to impact, radiation and heat, polycarbonate is often used for dialysis equipment, IV connectors and certain surgical implements.
Quantity Considerations
Quantity is always an important area within medical device manufacturing. Injection-molded parts can be produced in high quantities and with extreme efficiency, which is a big part of why this process is so widely-used in this industry. It’s ideal for complex parts that are found throughout the medical world.
Limiting Costs
Injection molding is also a fantastic way to limit costs in such manufacturing, another area our team is regularly on top of on the part of our clients. Plastic is far less expensive than metal to produce, plus creates much less material waste and can be molded and formed much more easily. All of these factors tend to make it the most cost-effective solution for numerous medical parts.
For more on specifications within the medical device realm for plastic injection molding, or to learn about any of our injection mold services, speak to the staff at EnviroTech Custom Injection Molders today.
