Medical injection molding has been an important part of the medical device industry for at least the last decade. With this technology, complicated medical components are no longer a problem as they can be made simply by injecting medical-grade materials into a mold. The results obtained also have a high level of precision, contrary to what people often imagine. The types of medical components that can be made with this molding technology are quite varied; from breathing masks, infusion hoses, even to syringes!
Key Considerations in Healthcare Device Design
– Patient Safety and Ergonomics
Healthcare devices are not designed only with functional and economic considerations, but also for patient comfort and ergonomics. What does it mean? Healthcare focuses on patients and convenience are inseparable. The more comfortable a patient is in undergoing treatment, the greater the chance of recovery. This is one of the basic formulas of patient care. Meanwhile, from an ergonomic standpoint, a healthcare device must be designed in such a way that it is easy to use and if possible is not bad in terms of appearance.
– Functionality and Performance Requirements
Functionality and performance requirements are the next two factors. Every healthcare device that is produced must function as expected. It must also have standardized performance. There is a standard that a tool must meet a certain level of performance otherwise it will be considered a failure.
– Regulatory Compliance and Quality Standards
This relates to the standards, laws, and other regulations that cover all manufactured healthcare devices. Every healthcare device is essentially governed by a set of standards, laws, and other regulations, and any violation of any of them can lead to unpleasant consequences.
Injection Molding Processes for Healthcare Device Manufacturing
– Tooling Design and Mold Construction
Designing healthcare devices requires considering function, ergonomics, and regulatory standards. Precise mold construction is essential for successful injection molding services, ensuring accuracy and quality in the final products. Meticulous planning, advanced technology, and quality control measures are vital for reliable healthcare devices that meet industry standards.
– Material Selection for Medical Applications
For many years, metal (especially steel) and glass were the most widely used materials in the manufacture of medical equipment and laboratory products. However, thanks to advances within the sector and the many advantages that plastic offers, it has become an essential material for the medical industry. Most medical device manufacturers use specialized machinery and solutions for plastic injection and they have achieved optimal results in the medical sector and many others.
For the creation of many medical products, plastic injection is used using polypropylene (PP) resins, which turn out to be a very light material. This allows healthcare professionals to work more comfortably, quickly, and safely. In addition to making life easier for patients who need to incorporate certain devices into their daily treatments. Another of the great benefits of plastic injection is the opportunity to manufacture serial products with the same quality regardless of the complexity of the molds.
– Injection Molding Machine Setup and Parameters
The injection machine must be prepared in advance according to the manufacturer’s standards. Then there are at least 6 basic parameters that must be set to produce the desired product. They are injection speed, injection volume, injection pressure, barrel temperature, holding time, and finally cooling time.
Advantages of Injection Molding for Healthcare Devices
– Design Flexibility and Complex Geometry
Flexibility and complex geometries are well supported by the molds. There is no assembly process or refinement process at certain angles. Each product is produced according to the mold.
– High Precision and Reproducibility
Today, high-precision molds can be made more easily and as a result, there is almost no product that can’t be made, even if it involves complicated shapes. And with the injection principle, more products can be made in one production cycle.
– Cost-Effectiveness and Scalability
Cost efficiency and scalability are clearly improved because each product can be created more quickly. Prefab construction also usually doesn’t cost much. Scalability is closely related to increasing production costs and when the production process only involves injection of liquid materials into molds and cooling, it is clear that scalability tends to be better (compared to other production methods).
– Material Compatibility and Sterilization
Since the medical injection molding technique is compatible with a wide variety of metals, glass, and plastics, it can be considered to have good material compatibility. Not only that, medical injection molding tends to produce relatively lighter devices, thereby facilitating their sterilization process.
Applications of Injection Molding in Healthcare Device Manufacturing
Many types of medical devices are better made by injection molding techniques. They are usually of complex design and should be designed to be as light as possible. The following are devices that you usually encounter in hospitals and are most likely made using the injection molding technique:
– Medical Implants and Prosthetics
– Surgical Instruments and Tools
– Drug Delivery Systems
– Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices
– Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Conclusion
Injection molding to produce medical devices is a necessity. With the demand for a variety of materials that can be used, performance, safety, support for the sterilization process, and production efficiency which ultimately results in reduced production costs and selling prices, injection molding is so far the best technique for producing various medical support equipment.
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