When to use plastic injection moulding for medical parts

Plastics have revolutionised the medical industry, points out Essentra Components: “Not only does plastic lower the spread of infection, but it’s also an affordable material and, when used in the injection moulding process, it can deliver precise, lightweight and durable devices.”

The different polymers available are vast and can be formulated specifically for healthcare applications. “These plastics don’t harbour pathogens and can stand up to different sterilisation processes. Plastics have given us one-time-use tools and devices, such as surgical gloves, syringes and IV tubes. These materials are also used for durable applications, such as hospital beds and medical equipment.”

The benefits of plastics in medical fields, from dentistry to orthopaedics, are many, adds the company. “So are the advantages of the medical injection manufacturing process. If you’re not familiar with plastic injection moulding, we suggest you read ‘In-depth: the injection moulding process´ by clicking here.

As a quick summary of the process:

• A mould is made from metal and precision machined to match the geometries and measurements of the product you’re manufacturing
• Plastic resins are fed into a heated barrel and mixed
• Heating bands melt the resins
• The molten plastic is then injected into the mould cavity, where it cools and hardens
• When the plastic solidifies, the part is ejected from the mould.

Plastic insert moulding is a close cousin of injection moulding. This takes an already fabricated component, such as a surgical knife blade or surgical tube, and encapsulates it in molten resin to manufacture a finished product. Plastic injection moulding involves injecting one or more molten plastic resins into a mould to produce single, finished parts.

Examples of products made with plastic injection moulding for the medical-device industry:

• Beakers
• Test tubes
• Lab and clinic housings and casings
• Implantable components
• Surgical blades
• Surgical tools
• Pacemaker parts
• Orthopedic and dental instruments
• Needle housing
• Instrument handles
• Suture delivery devices
• Prosthetics.