Applications | products meDical
DuPont’s black Delrin plays a key role in Southmedic’s caBo scalpel
footwear
Stepping ahead with tPu
Delrin delivers safer surgery
canadian medical device maker Southmedic has developed a new safety scalpel protector system for surgeons that features a blade holder produced in a special control (Sc) medical grade of duPont’s delrin acetal polymer. the cABo scalpel system is designed around a cartridge that can be fitted to all standard scalpel handles and acts a sheath for the blade. Unlike alternative safety systems, Southmedic claims its solution provides a clear view of the blade at all times. it is also said to avoid detracting from the balance
automotive mues makes its marque in multi-shot tPe
German automotive supplier Mues Product & Moulds is using Kraiburg’s Hipex high performance tPes in its new range of engine cover logo plates, which it is manufacturing using two-component moulding for the first time. each logo plate comprises a hard
element that carries the car maker’s badge supported on a number of elasto- meric bearing elements, which retain the plate into the engine cover. the parts are produced using an over-moulding process, with a robot loading, transferring and removing the parts from the mould. Previously, Mues assembled the bearings
www.injectionworld.com
onto the moulded plates in a manual secondary operation. According to Kraiburg, a particular
challenge in the development of the new plate was the construction of the anchor- age on the hard component. the two
companies developed a ring in the PA plate with a number of integrated slots and teeth which when over-moulded are completely penetrated by the Hipex tPe to create a mechanical fixing. A considerable undercut is also included in the tPe bearing. the mechan- ical bond between the two parts is strong enough to prevent the parts separating when the undercut is demoulded. Hipex offers a Shore A hardness of 70
and can withstand continuous operating temperatures of up to 150˚c and expo- sure to lubricants. ❙
www.kraiburg-tpe.com
April 2012 | injection world 57
and feel of the scalpel, which is important for the surgeon. duPont’s delrin polymer is
used to injection mould the black scalpel blade holder, which accommodates the key parts of the system, including the handle, blade and sheath. Southmedic selected the
resin – an unreinforced grade – for this part for its high stiffness and metal-like properties. the component incorporates a snap-fit mechanism that allows attachment of the sheath and the metal blade – the low friction properties of acetal ensures that the sheath slides easily in its grooved track.
duPont says the delrin
grade also provides very good retention of properties during the ethylene oxide sterilisa- tion process used by Southmedic. the cABo system comes in
two different sizes to accom- modate the variety of handles and blades used in surgical applications. Safety is said to be an increasingly important issue in operating theatres in the US, where medical institutions are now required to comply with regulations such as the needlistick Safety and Prevention Act. ❙
www.dupont.com ❙
www.southmedic.com
US footwear maker timber- land is using BASF’s elastollan Soft thermoplastic polyurethane to produce the soles for some of its Pro range of work boots. the tPU, supplied by US-
based Alliance Polymers and Services, was selected for its high level of grip on wet and dry surfaces, key require- ments in footwear used in work environments. durability, low temperature flexibility, abrasion resist- ance and ability to absorb impacts were also prime considerations, according to Alliance. timberland’s Pro range of
footwear is used in environ- ments such as hotel kitchens and laundries. ❙
www.basf.com ❙
www.apstpe.com
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