Engineered resins are allowing the medical device manufacturing industry to be more creative with new products. Supporting injection-molding companies offer relationships to create your next product idea and have connections to vendors that provide quality materials and resources. SEA-LECT Plastics, a top-tier manufacturer, produces products in a world-class facility to support the medical industry through rapid prototyping and mold creation.
How is SEA-LECT Plastics Supporting Medical Device Manufacturing?
SEA-LECT Plastics is currently supporting the medical industry through rapid prototyping, mold creation, and engineering design. The medical industry is quickly advancing technology and products that are being developed specifically with plastic injection molding in mind. SEA-LECT Plastics has a rigorous quality initiative for day-to-day operations, which was recognized during our ISO 9001: 2015 certification. Our management system keeps our molded products at the highest quality before distribution to a finished device manufacturer or an end consumer.
Why Does SEA-LECT Plastics Recommend Plastics for the Medical Industry?
- Reduced Manufacturing Side Effects – Plastic injection molding produces few side effects and has very little scrap material after the injection molding process.
- Reduced Tooling Investment – Metal casting and stamping dies can take 12-16 weeks to complete after the initial design is complete. Plastic injection molding dies can be ready to make products in as little time as 6 weeks. Plastic injection molds can last up to six times as long as casting and stamping dies.
- Unlimited Design Options – Complex metal product designs often require a significant amount of development time and cost to ensure casting or stamping molds will survive a long life cycle. Plastic injection molding can fill molds faster with better results, and plastic products have also seen a rise from 3D printing as new equipment, software, and materials are in constant evolution.
- Corrosion Resistance – Plastic is naturally corrosion resistant by nature, where most metals need a secondary or tertiary operation to apply a coating to resist corrosion.
- Regulatory Compliance – Regulatory compliance has become a difficult aspect to continually stay abreast of as it’s an ever-moving target. Additional coatings and certain materials may be regulated in foreign countries. Plastic products do not need an extra coating, which reduces the chance that your product will not be allowed in a foreign market.
- Reduced Product Weight – Engineered plastics can reduce the overall weight of most products. Reducing weight can positively reduce shipping costs and make ergonomic improvements within a manufacturing process.
- Biocompatibility – Medical grade plastics are biocompatible which makes them easier to incorporate into new ideas and redesigns of older products.
- Recyclable – Medical grade plastics can be recycled without concern of extra protective coatings contaminating new materials.
Plastic Products Currently In Use in the Medical Industry
- Medical tubing including catheters and syringes
- Implants
- Surgical and dental instruments
- Diagnostic equipment
- 3D printed prosthetics and orthotic braces
Should You Consider Plastic Injection Molding for Your Next Medical Product?
Plastics offer advantages compared to other materials that are commonly used with medical equipment. Engineered resins when chosen for the correct application can offer strength, heat stability, low cost, and shapes that are complicated or nearly impossible to create easily in other materials. Determining if plastics will be your best choice can be aided by an expert mold maker that also offers resin selection, turn-key assembly options, and program management to see the complete development cycle through with success. If you need expert advice from a partner that can help with your next product idea, call us (425) 339-0288 or email us at mattp@sealectplastics.mystagingwebsite.com. We can offer you advice on the best technology to use, the best materials to meet your product demands, and how to navigate through each development stage. At SEA-LECT Plastics, we specialize in military product applications, outdoor adventure gear, musical instruments, and supporting the medical industry. Our goal is to make your project efficient and cost-effective to manufacture, assemble, and ship no matter how complicated your concept is.