MEDICAL | TECHNOLOGY
Arburg adds that it is essential for manufacturers of medical devices to provide proof of complete batch traceability. ALS ensures this shot for shot. Not only process parameters are being monitored, but also machine statuses and maintenance intervals. Arburg is also seeing a rising demand for
turnkey projects in the field of medical technology. Integrating quality inspection and assembly equipment downstream of injection moulding is increasingly eliminating human intervention, which still represents the greatest potential for product contamination. The reliable production and reproducibility of extremely high-quality medical plastic products, including implants, also require intelligent process monitoring. Martin Manka says: “As a primary contractor, Arburg provides its customers with advice right from the outset, from concept design to the start of production. Whether it is implants, dental drills or syringe barrels, the company has found a suitable medical injection moulding solution for every application and material – for example by using the electric All- rounder A series which offers the best conditions.” Another example is a production cell built around
an Allrounder 520 A which is producing LSR vaginal rings in high volumes. As primary contractor, Arburg was wholly responsible for the implementation of the entire turnkey system. This cleanroom application was developed in cooperation with Rico and 2KM as partners. In micro-moulding, a micro injection unit specifically designed for processing LSR was presented for the first time in October 2018. The production cell produced elastic dosing valves for medical technology from non-post-cure LSR, weighing just 0.038g. The LSR with Shore A hardness 50 was premixed using a cartridge.
Injection was carried out using a special LSR screw with self-closing non-return valve. The parts made of non-post-cure LSR did not require post-treatment and were handled using a linear Multilift H 3+1. The finished dosing valves were checked for complete filling with two cameras, then transferred to a slit station and finally set down in containers, separated by cavities via a tube distribution system. Arburg concludes that future developments will involve increased environmental awareness in the health industry. “One trend is the increasing use of single-type materials instead of mixed materials,” says Martin Manka. “This also allows for an in- creased recycling rate. If you look at the amount of plastic waste generated in hospitals, for example, their current recycling rate is only around 10%. New solutions need to be found to reduce or recycle hospital waste. Leading pharmaceutical and medical technology manufacturers have set themselves the goal of making an important contribution in this respect. Wherever possible, biodegradable polymers are used that can be composted after use. A second approach is to avoid mixed materials, for example, different plastics that cannot be used as recyclates, or composites made of metal and plastic.” The ways medication is administered will also change significantly, adds Arburg, and there will be many exciting projects in this field, which will not only present machine manufacturers with new challenges, but also the entire value chain. “Eventu- ally, biological medicines also need new solutions, and regulatory requirements are becoming increasingly important in the interests of increased patient safety,” says Manka. “All of these are tasks that material manufacturers, mould manufacturers and machine manufacturers will face in the short to medium term and which require new solutions. Customers and all involved suppliers must pull together in order to find economical, but also environmentally friendly and safety solutions to the challenges in the medical sector – possibly with an impact on other industries as well.”
www.injectionworld.com
Above: For the production of medical parts, Arburg offers Allrounder injection moulding machines and the Freeformer for additive manufacturing
Left: Arburg’s micro injection unit can be specified for medical moulding
� September 2019 | INJECTION WORLD 59
PHOTO: ARBURG
PHOTO: ARBURG
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