Innovation | medical
35.5mm by 12.7mm. The parts are assembled by ultrasonic or solvent welding. Medical device companies are also focusing develop- ment on management of risk. US-based Value Plastics, part of the Nordson group, has launched a new alternative to the industry-standard Luer connector. While familiar to all medical practitioners, the Luer must be used with some care to avoid the risk of misconnections. The new BPL connector is said to eliminate this risk by incorporating fail-safe features that ensure correct application. Injection moulded in a medical grade ABS, the BPL
connector features a snap-on design with a quarter turn security feature and a true-stop on the rotating half of the connector, which is said to prevent contact with the shroud and reduce the risk of kinking and twisting during assembly.
Focus on safety Meanwhile, Germany’s Spang & Brands has developed a new connector for use on medical bags that provides a clear indication of tampering or interference with the sterile seal without the need to incur the additional cost of a banderol, gasket insert or secondary packaging. The patented TPC closure uses two-component moulding technology to produce a cap comprising a red polycarbonate ring and a soft TPE. The cap is then ultrasonically welded to the PC connector port. This arrangement creates a 100% leak-proof sterile seal that can only be opened by the user turning the cap, immediately providing clear visual indication of activa- tion. “The sterile PC/TPE connection of the closure cap can only be achieved in a 2K injection moulding process and the hermetic connection between the TPC cap and the port collar, both in PC, are only possible applying ultrasonic or laser bonding technology,” says Spang & Brands managing director Friedrich Echterdiek. With TPEs finding increasing application in the
medical industry, RTP Company has developed a new line of bondable TPE offering pre-test compliance with with ISO 10993 (part 5 in vitro cytotoxicity, part 10 irritation, and part 11 systemic toxicity) biocompatibility standards. RTP 6042 MD Series TPE compounds have a Shore A
hardness range from 40 to 70 and RTP 6003 MD Series have a Shore A hardness range from 45 to 75. All products are formulated to bond with ABS, PC, PC alloys, PBT, rigid TPU, or co-polyester substrates using either multi-shot or insert moulding processes. The materials are naturally opaque and can be custom coloured using RTP’s biocompatible colorants. According to RTP, the new TPE grades are likely to find application in products such as surgical tools,
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fixation devices, injection pens and inhalers. “Using TPEs is a great way to enhance the design and function- ality of medical devices by providing better grip or non-skid surfaces, improving tactile feel and ergonom- ics, or delivering aesthetics for corporate branding and increased consumer appeal,” says Paul Killian, RTP Company’s business manager TPE products. US-based Elastocon has also extended its medical
grade TPEs with the addition of a number of new clear grades for use in applications such as medical equip- ment buttons, as well as traditional device grips. The new CLR grades offer hardness values of between 15-75 Shore A and are suitable for injection moulding and extrusion. Two grades are completely oil-free, but the company says all the CLR grades offer a non-tacky feel and can be easily tinted.
Taking the plunge Hexpol Group’s Elasto subsidiary has added two new TPE products designed to replace conventional rubbers in single-use syringe plunger seals. The translucent Mediprene 500584M grade and black Mediprene 502584M products process much more quickly than thermoset rubber seals and require less post moulded finishing. The TPE products also offer a lower specific gravity than most traditional alternatives, resulting in lighter parts but, more importantly, meaning more parts per kilogram of raw material. Like all of the products in the
Mediprene range, the new grades are latex-free and comply with ISO 10993-5 cytotoxicity and USP Class VI biocompatibility requirements. US-headquartered Teknor Apex
is also targeting plunger seals and gaskets with its Medalist MD-200 series TPVs, which cover the hardness range
October 2012 | INJECTION WORLD 15
Sumitomo Demag’s new medical manufacturing package
Owen
Mumford’s Pentips prevents
needlesticks
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