MEDICAL | TECHNOLOGY
Multiple applications for medical moulding
Leading manufacturers of injection moulding machinery report an increasing number of applications in the medical industry – from micro-fluidics to smart devices. By Mark Holmes
The scope for injection moulding in the medical industry is growing rapidly and machinery manu- facturers are adapting their products to meet this need. The medical technology market continues to grow dynamically and offers opportunities for development in multiple directions, reports Arburg. Firstly, this is because new materials continually enter the market and expand the areas of application. In addition, there are constantly new technical advances in mould technology and in processes that can be applied to medical technol- ogy, for example in micromechanics and microflu- idics. The operative terms in this context are liquid silicone rubber (LSR) processing, micro injection moulding or multi-component processing. “The areas of healthcare and diagnostics are showing significant growth,” says Martin Manka, Senior Sales Manager Medical at Arburg. “The general desire among people to monitor their health gives rise to an increased demand for pipette tips in diagnostics, for example. In addition, there are the areas of personal care and preventive healthcare. This includes smartwatches and other measuring devices that can be used to check and evaluate information such as pulse, calorie consumption,
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movement and sleeping patterns at any time. Other popular products are insulin pens for diabetics and filters for dialysis. Another development step relates to smart devices with integrated electronics such as analysis chips that can communicate with smart- phones. Lab-on-a-chip technology, which has revolutionised diagnostics, is also a dynamic development trend. It is increasingly replacing conventional laboratory diagnostics and also making it possible to realise more individual therapies.” Traceability and process reliability are particu- larly important considerations in the field of medical technology. To meet the needs of this sector, Arburg says that it offers a wide range of injection moulding technologies, from standard solutions and high-speed, high-performance machines to Allrounders in stainless steel and tailor-made turnkey systems and cleanroom solutions. In particular, machines docked to the cleanroom provide significant energy efficiency advantages. Because of the reduced cleanroom volume, considerably less energy is required for cyclic air exchange. In mass production, efficient processes are necessitated by the high cost pressures in this
Main image: The Freeformer is Arburg’s answer to the individual treatment of patients with precisely tailored medical products made of plastic. The spectrum ranges from auxiliary products to medication or implants
September 2019 | INJECTION WORLD 57
PHOTO: ARBURG
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