Contract manufacturing Meeting micro moulding demands
As medical devices become smaller and more complex, the demand for micro moulding is set to rise exponentially in the coming years. The push for ever-tinier parts has driven innovation but also comes with challenges: as well as achieving precision when moulding, extensive material research, creativity and close collaboration is often also required. Ellie Philpotts fi nds out how CMOs can meet these challenges.
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n recent years, those within the manufacturing industry have become increasingly likely to come across micro moulding – a specialised manufacturing process that shapes and forms extremely small thermoplastics. Finished components can weigh less than one gramme and measure just a few millimetres across. Even if not directly involved in the process, at the very least manufacturers will have encountered components created in this way. For instance, micro moulding is used to make components for smartphones. In the world of medicine, it can support the creation of small and complex devices, including stent delivery systems, microcatheters and guide wires. Yet micro moulding is not without its challenges. For one, it requires specialised equipment and
quality control for tiny parts that can often be damaged or lost in transit. And the principles that typically govern the moulding of larger parts don’t always apply. With micro moulding set to surge in popularity as the industry continues to expand, how can CMOs navigate these complexities?
Cost vs benefit
Before starting any project, CMOs should ensure everyone in the team understands what they are working towards, says Davide Masato, associate professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Francis College of Engineering. Namely, it should be clear whether they’re dealing with parts that are shrunk in their overall volume and dimensions, or parts with
Medical Device Developments /
www.medicaldevice-developments.com
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AI generated/
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