As the medical device industry rapidly evolves, we’re seeing many opportunities. Pharmaceuticals or smart technology are being incorporated into more medical device designs. Parts are getting miniaturized to improve patient comfort, performance, efficiency, and convenience. Micro overmolding can present opportunities to mold a device as a single unit, improving cost efficiency and overall quality.
At the core of each of these innovations is material science—specifically micro-level polymer science.
Material behavior on the micro level is very different than at the macro level. As medical OEMs have experienced:
• The material that worked well for your original medical device design may not be well-suited for the miniaturized version with smaller, nominal wall stock and thin-wall features.
• PEEK worked well for machining parts for prototyping but will not be cost-effective now that you need to scale to produce annual volumes of 500,000.
• Unsure of material options but aware of the application needs? This helps narrow the options that may be suitable. For example, a load-bearing or force-distributing implant requires a strong but somewhat supple or flexible low-durometer bioabsorbable material that holds strength for nine months before resorption.
Material behavior on the micro level is very different than what traditional (macro-level) plastics engineering has taught us. It surprises us on a regular basis. This energizes us to find ways to control these characteristics and harness them for our benefit.
As Patrick Haney, MTD’s Research and Development Engineer, says, “From my perspective, the factors that drive all growth in this field is an ever-growing understanding of how the viscoelastic and thermal behaviors of specialty polymers change when exposed to the micro-environment. A stronger understanding of the science that drives polymer behavior can allow us to become more inventing and daring in areas spanning from mold and part design, to optimizing processing techniques and manipulating material characteristics, to even finding new ways to utilize materials in ways never been done before.”