Medical

Fraunhofer Institute researchers have developed an injection molded biocompatible and biodegradable screw to replace titanium versions used in a variety of surgical operations. The moldable composite is made from polylactic acid and hydroxylapatite, a ceramic that is the main constituent of the bone mineral and promotes the growth of bone into the implant.

Innovation, attention to detail, and specialization have fueled sustainable growth for medical molder Medron Inc., helping it stand out in a region with a burgeoning medical manufacturing base.

Working on behalf of an unnamed diagnostics company that it has collaborated with for 18 years, contract manufacturer/molder Gerresheimer Regensburg developed lancing devices for a multi-use blood sugar monitoring system, and now molds 19 parts and performs final assembly of the user-friendly device.

Winning its ISO 13845 Medical Device Certification wasn’t easy for this custom molder, but it’s paying off for the company in many ways, including increased business.

The medical industry is a good one for molders and moldmakers who relish seeing how their work can make a difference—sometimes a huge difference—in a person’s life. This processor even got to work with one of the first patients for a device it helps manufacture.

The recession has taken its toll on nearly every industry, and that includes medical devices, to some extent. OEMs are feeling the pressure and depending more on their supply chain—materials suppliers, moldmakers, and molders—to help them get products approved and to market faster.

At MD&M West (Feb. 9-11; Anaheim, CA), Pelham Plastics (Pelham, NH) was awaiting word on an occupancy permit for a plant expansion that would more than double the custom injection molding and assembly company's space. John Mackey, Pelham's president, told PlasticsToday that the company has added 17,000 ft² to its existing 15,000 ft² site.

Injection molding and the medical market, particularly in North America, remain linked in many important ways as recently evidenced by the presence key machinery suppliers at the Plastec portion of Canon Communications' collocated California shows (Feb. 9-11; Anaheim). Although less machinery suppliers made the trip to southern California, and not all those that did brought machines with them, a number of suppliers still turned out to support geographic and end markets seen as key to the industry's future in the states.

Cleanroom molding is essential for serving the medical segment, and various options exist for manufacturing anything from discrete components to complex assemblies in a pristine environment. So what cleanroom alternative should you choose? 
It very much depends on your application and business strategy.

Have the guts to take on tough projects: In large part because the company welcomes a challenge, injection molder Spang & Brands decided in 1982 to devote itself exclusively to the medical market, and it has not looked back since.