Medical device injection molding is a common way to manufacture high-volume medical device components. While most medical device companies are well-versed in mold manufacturing, injection molding tool maintenance is often overlooked. This blog explains the medical device injection molding process and how tooling maintenance is a crucial part of the process.
What Is Medical Device Injection Molding?
Medical device injection molding is when raw materials like plastic are injected into mold cavities to create components for medical devices. Once the molten material is inserted into the cavity, it sets in the mold. Following the injection mold cycle, the plastic cools before it’s taken out of the mold. The injection cycle typically takes seconds, and a molding technician manages the cooling process efficiently.
Cost-efficient and ideal for high-volume production runs, medical device injection molding has a variety of benefits:
- Improved part ergonomics
- Reduced weight
- Increased functionality
Explaining the Medical Device Injection Molding Process
To complete the medical device injection molding process, there are a few factors to consider:
Equipment
Medical device injection molding can be performed using a standard injection molding press. However, using a standard machine involves loading and retaining the insert in the cavity and limits the unique part design. Other injection molding machines like rotary and shuttle-table-type injection equipment are ideal for insert molding medical devices that offer greater flexibility and improved productivity.
Materials
A variety of materials are used for medical device injection molding, including:
- Polyethylene
- Polystyrene
- Polypropylene
- Polyvinyl chloride
- Thermoplastic elastomers
The type of material used to develop a medical device component through medical device injection molding is determined by the strength of the material.
Processing Parameters
One of the most common causes of medical device component failure is cleanliness. The insert must be as clean as possible before the medical device injection molding process begins. Machine tooling should frequently be cleaned using alcohol to avoid component failure. Molding experts should also perform injection molding tool maintenance to prevent rusting.
Types of Medical Device Injection Molding Parts
Different types of medical device components typically created using medical device injection molding include:
- Surgical components and equipment
- Implant components
- Drug delivery components and equipment
- Housing and casings for lab equipment
Why Is Injection Molding Tool Maintenance Important?
Injection molding tool maintenance includes cleaning and repairing components to maintain a functioning injection mold. An injection mold’s condition influences the quality of the plastic components and performing maintenance increases tool longevity and part quality. Injection mold maintenance is performed consistently throughout the mold’s lifecycle and when problems arise.
Medical device companies often overlook mold maintenance when selecting a supplier, but choosing an organization that focuses on Injection molding tool maintenance is critical for a successful mold.
Benefits of Injection Molding Tool Maintenance
Injection molding tool maintenance is crucial to developing consistent, high-quality injection mold medical devices. Plastic injection molding contract manufacturers perform uniform cooling throughout the cavity compression to leverage the highest quality components at a fast cycle time. Injection molding tool maintenance also saves you significant costs on repairs in the long run.
How an Injection Molding Tool Maintenance Specialist Helps You
It’s crucial to choose a plastic injection molding contract manufacturer equipped with a dedicated service team that performs injection molding tool maintenance, like cleaning parting lines during production runs while documenting mold maintenance to ensure your tooling gets the long-term care it deserves.
Working with an insert molding medical device supplier reduces risks and extra costs associated with injection molding. An experienced supplier can also help you:
Optimize Part and Mold Design
Working with an experienced supplier to optimize part and mold design improves your tool’s longevity and part quality. If a supplier offers simple feature changes, it increases the tooling strength, simplifies the medical device injection molding process, and ensures consistent, high-quality parts.
Boost Your Tooling Investment
Choosing a plastic injection molding contract manufacturer that specializes in injection molding tool maintenance can boost your tooling investment in the long run. Many manufacturers establish a preventative maintenance cycle for every mold, focusing on specific part designs, materials, and other factors. From basic cleaning to wear assessments, injection molding tool maintenance specialists work on a scheduled, fully documented rotation to ensure your mold is functioning properly at all times.
An Experienced Plastic Injection Molding Contract Manufacturer and Maintenance Specialist
Remington Medical is an experienced plastic injection molding contract manufacturer and maintenance specialist. We offer injection molding tool maintenance in-house, ensuring that molds are kept up to date and the proper technology is in place to manufacture new molds when necessary.
The frequency of maintenance depends on your product and its tools. Most simple molds don’t have moving components, so maintenance frequency varies with less complex mold designs.
We’ve developed a state-of-the-art quality assurance process for medical device components, so you can rest assured that your parts are manufactured according to exact specifications. As a part of our injection molding tool maintenance, we check the machine’s water flow, cleaning the thermolator and chiller unit to prevent rust and improve process control.
Remington is different from other medical manufacturing companies because we have a line of high-quality, disposable medical devices. That means we learn from manufacturing and maintaining our products and implement best practices into injection molding tool maintenance for our customers. We’ve mastered every aspect of the medical device injection molding process—reach out today to take your injection mold practices to the next level.
