Metal Injection Molding and Micro-MIM

October 27, 2011 10:53 am | Product Releases | Comments

Advanced Powder Products, Inc. uses metal injection molding (MIM) and micro-MIM (µMIM) to produce precision parts for surgical, dental and implantation applications in a range of alloys...

LISTED UNDER: Molding | Molding Equipment | Molding Systems

Medical TPEs Provide Superior Alternative to Rubber in Plunger Tips

October 25, 2011 7:07 am | Product Releases | Comments

Plas-Tech Engineering, Inc., a custom molder specializing in innovative medical components, has selected Medalist® elastomers as one of several high-performance alternatives to conventional materials for a new range of single-use syringes...

LISTED UNDER: Rubber | Injection Molding | Silicon Molding

Connecting Quality and Success with Two-Shot Molding

October 24, 2011 10:44 am | by Ray Townsend | Value Plastics, A Nordson Company | Articles | Comments

Medical device manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to eliminate waste, cut costs, save time, and generally, get products to market faster. When it comes to molding, one machine is helping to accomplish all of that. This article looks at a two-shot molding machine that can deliver consistency and repeatability while offering the additional benefits mentioned below.

LISTED UNDER: Molding Systems | Injection Molding | Molding

A Process Approach to Molding Leads to Better Results

October 24, 2011 10:29 am | by Kersten Terry and Cheryl Weckle | Articles | Comments

Partnering with a molding services provider and establishing a strong relationship is critical to success for medical device manufacturers. However, a greater degree of efficiency can be established from partnering with the molder’s resin supplier as well. This article looks at the additional benefits realized from going a step further in reaching out to all parties involved in the molding supply chain.

LISTED UNDER: Molding Systems | Injection Molding | Molding

Two-Shot Liquid Silicone and PC—A Union of Medical Materials

October 21, 2011 11:11 am | by Eric Bishop | Articles | Comments

The Challenge: A previously identified material selected to be overmolded onto polycarbonate would not properly bond without pre-treatment. The Solution: Utilizing a liquid injection molding system product, a replacement material that did not require pre-treatment and offered the ability to perform a higher production run than originally scheduled resolved the bonding challenge.

LISTED UNDER: Injection Molding | Control | Biocompatibility Testing

Healthsense Uses Protomold and Firstcut for Faster Product Design

October 21, 2011 10:46 am | by Brad Cleveland | Proto Labs, Inc. | Articles | Comments

The Challenge: Identify an affordable and reliable way to develop prototype parts that can withstand the scrutiny of real world testing. The Solution: Utilizing an array of services including Protomold and Firstcut, the company was able to secure a low volume run of components that were provided in near production ready materials suitable for testing.

LISTED UNDER: Design Services | Product Design | Prototyping

Prepare for Validating the Injection Molding Process

October 21, 2011 10:37 am | by Rick Puglielli | Articles | Comments

Molding for medical devices involves critical processes that must offer repeatability, assurance of accuracy, and a high degree of quality. The following article will describe the basic fundamentals of the injection molding process that one needs to understand before developing an effective protocol for validating the injection molding process.

LISTED UNDER: Molding Systems | Injection Molding | Molding

Acrylic Polymer Injection Molding Primer

October 20, 2011 12:45 pm | by Joseph L. Mitchell, Charles Rissel, and Mark Aubart | Articles | Comments

Medical devices are molded from acrylic polymers to meet the requirements of a broad range of applications. Many of these devices are complex and challenge the skills of the injection molder with complicated mold designs that are difficult to fill. These challenges can be overcome with the selection of the proper grade of acrylic polymer and appropriate injection molding parameters.

LISTED UNDER: Molding Systems | Injection Molding | Molding

Bondable LSR Overmolding Capability Demonstrated With a Free Widget

August 22, 2011 5:55 am | Rogan Corporation | Product Releases | Comments

Rogan Corporation, a leading molder of plastic components for more than seventy-five years, is featuring its Bondable Liquid Silicone Rubber capability in a Free “WIDGET”...

LISTED UNDER: Molding | Molding Equipment | Molding Systems

Versatile Biomaterial Brings Exceptional Performance in Spinal Devices

July 25, 2011 10:08 am | by Joseph Grande | Articles | Comments

DiFUSION Technologies’ new interbody implants are made of Solvay’s Zeniva PEEK, which has a modulus very similar to that of bone, along with toughness and fatigue resistance. The implants are for intervertebral body fusion of the thoracolumbar spine, and to be used with supplemental internal fixation. These implants are hollow, meaning the bone can grow through the device, and fuse the nearby bony surfaces of the vertebrae.

LISTED UNDER: Injection Molding | Micro Molding | Biocompatibility Testing

Needle Sharpener Keeps Phoenix on Point

July 25, 2011 8:25 am | by Kris Drennen | Articles | Comments

Thanks to a special needle design from Advanced Machine & Engineering (AME), Phoenix Medical Products has seen a 40% improvement in production and a 10% decrease in scrap. Phoenix can now safely rely on the AME needle sharpener for its needle design, production, sterilization, and packaging needs.

LISTED UNDER: Injection Molding | CNC Machining | Cleanroom Assembly

Manufacturer of Lens-Cutting Machines Focuses on Cost Savings with Graphite-Mold Casting Process

July 18, 2011 8:09 am | by Ben McKelway | Articles | Comments

Graphicast, a single-source contract manufacturer introduces a process using graphite molds to cast parts from ZA-12, a zinc-aluminum alloy that is stronger and more durable than aluminum, brass, bronze, and plastic. The graphite mold/ZA-12 casting process is a lower-cost alternative to CNC machining, die casting, sand casting, and investment casting for medium-volume production runs. Additionally, tooling costs for the graphite mold/ZA-12 process are much lower than for die casting or injection molding because graphite costs less than tool steel and requires no heat treating. Moreover, a graphite mold can often be produced weeks faster than a die-casting mold, and for about one-fifth the cost. Since a graphite mold will not warp or corrode, it can also be stored indefinitely and reused.

LISTED UNDER: Injection Molding | CNC Machining | Micro Molding

Metal Injection Molding Technology Creates High-Complexity, Low-Cost Components

July 11, 2011 10:13 am | by Tai Chee Keong | Articles | Comments

Metal injection molding (MIM) is a metal processing method that has become a beneficial manufacturing technology for the medical device industry, as it can produce complex-shaped, high-density, and high-performance metal parts at a low cost. Designers and engineers in the medical devices field are able to compare MIM to traditional machining techniques in the small parts arena.

LISTED UNDER: Molding Systems | Injection Molding | Molding

Innovative Plastics Cause a ‘Brain Freeze’

July 6, 2011 6:54 am | by Kevin Dunay | Articles | Comments

The Project: Find a material that will offer durability and protection for a portable therapeutic hypothermia system used by emergency personnel. The Solution: A PC/ABS plastic was used for a number of components in the device since it offered impact strength, flame and chemical resistance, and light weight.

LISTED UNDER: Injection Molding