Heart valves and syringes moulded to the highest precision
Injection moulding not only offers solutions for industry; it also opens up the broad range of possibilities offered by medical technology.
Injection-moulded plastics are part of everyday life in many forms: mobile phone cases, toys, car bumpers, beverage crates, CDs, DVDs, computer monitors and, in this case, syringes and medical devices.
Continuous advances in injection moulding now make it possible to manufacture all kinds of parts, from tiny components to large objects weighing several kilograms. The technology can also reproduce highly complex geometries, combine several components into a single part, integrate multiple functions into one part and replace several manufacturing stages with a single process.
The possibilities of injection moulding technology therefore seem almost limitless.
One of injection moulding's achievements lies in medical technology, where the process gives developers a range of new possibilities. Sterilisability, biocompatibility, antimicrobial properties, specialist barrier properties, nano- and microsystems technologies and biodegradable materials are all areas addressed by injection moulding in the manufacture of health-related parts and materials.
Here are some examples of injection moulding in the medical sector:
Prostheses manufactured using plastic injection moulding
Injection moulding technology is not used only for disposable products; it can also produce prostheses for the human body. A mechanical heart valve has already been manufactured using injection moulding, representing a significant development in medical prosthetics.
The design also has no sprue or ejection marks, so it does not need subsequent polishing as with some other moulding processes. This could help reduce the risk of thrombi, blood clots or circulation disturbances in patients fitted with such heart prostheses.
Plastic injection moulding in microtechnology
Injection moulding is also used to manufacture high-precision components for surgery. Because of their complexity and small size, these parts require a precise manufacturing process, which injection moulding can provide.
Medical products manufactured by plastic injection moulding
Whether disposable items such as syringes and pipette tips, or functional parts such as inhalers, all medical products require strict hygiene during manufacture. Surgical and medical products undergo extensive quality and safety checks, so injection moulding equipment manufacturers offer different solutions suited to the products and production conditions involved.
Safety and hygiene during moulding
Quality and documentation standards in this sector are exceptionally demanding, requiring constant supervision and strict hygiene.