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Bausano’s new high-speed line is capable, even in the most compact configuration, of producing up to 120 m of tube per minute.

The high-speed extrusion line for PVC medical tubes meets the most stringent requirements, such as ISO 14644–1 Class 8 Cleanroom. <br/>© Bausano

Extrusionsanlagen

Medizintechnik

High-Speed Line for PVC Tubes

Patient movements can severely affect the quality of MRI and CT images. A new approach detects the movements and subsequently incorporates them into the image evaluation by means of correction algorithms. This significantly improves the image quality. For the detection of the patient’s movements, the use of polymer optical fibers is suitable.

16:9

Polymer Optical Fibers Increase the Reliability of MRI Images

Fasern

LED / OLED-Systeme und Faseroptik

Lichttechnik

Polyurethan

Polymethylmethacrylat

Lichtwellenleiter (LWL)

Motion Sensing Light Guides

Additive manufacturing has the potential to manufacture tablets individualized for the particular patient, and thereby further digitalize the pharmaceutical industry. In medication development, the properties of a tablet, such as its shape, dosage or release of the active substance, can be individually tailored – by making just a few changes to the digital 3D print file. Merck scientists have used a Freeformer for their lab tests.

Merck researcher Dr. Thomas Kipping (right) and Nabil Lamrabet value the advantages that the Freeformer offers as an open system.

The Freeformer Allows a Tailor-Made Combination of Several Active Ingredients

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, Kunststoff

Additive Fertigung

Arburg Kunststoff Freiformen

Patient-Specific Tablets

Pharmaceutical crimp caps generally consist of a thin aluminum sheet and a plastic component, and are used to seal medical vials, for example for vaccines. Through a combined deep-drawing and backmolding process with previous inline laser treatment of the thin aluminum sheet, the process can be significantly shortened. The media-proof joining together of the two materials is carried out through a mechanically interlocking connection.

A crimp cap for injection vials is manufactured in a two-step process.

Combined Deep-Drawing and Backmolding Process with Mechanically Interlocking Joint

Hybridtechnik

Spritzgießen

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Aluminiumlegierungen

Laserbearbeitungen

Tiefziehen

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Simulation Stanzen / Umformen

Laserstrukturieren

Hybrid-Spritzgießen (Metall / Kunststoff)

Medizinprodukte

Process Chain for the Production of Hybrid Medical Products

Nowhere are the demands imposed on materials higher than in the area of medical technology. That is understandable because, after all, what is ultimately at stake here is the patient’s health. But any materials manufacturers seeking to use hot runner technology to process polymers in compliance with strict directives and differentiated legal regulations also need the expertise possessed by the hot runner manufacturer’s application engineers.

Günther has recently installed two new injection-molding machines for customer trials in its technical center.

Testing the Processing Limits of Modified POM Copolymer

Polyoxymethylen

Normalien und Heißkanaltechnik

Heißkanalsysteme

Looking over the Application  Engineer’s Shoulder

Pipette tips are small and relatively simple components that are now in high demand. One might think  producing large quantities of these products is a simple task. It is not. The requested high quality can only be reached by using complex automation. To meet these challenging requirements, MA micro automation has developed a modular solution: Centauri IVD.

The Centauri IVD production system can be adapted to meet specific pipette tip manufacturing requirements.

Automated High Volume Consumables Production

Handling, Handhabungstechnik

Automatisierungstechnik

Prozessautomation

From Tool to Blister

The EWR half-shell version made of stainless steel is new in the range of couplings specialist Enemac from Kleinwallstadt, Germany.

EWR half-shell metal bellows coupling made of stainless steel

Reinraumtechnik

Verbindungstechnik

Kupplungen

For Use in Demanding Environments

Kebo has developed a new needle valve system called MultiValve to specifically address the needs of medical customers.

Kebo will be showing its MultiValve valve gate system in its maximum configuration of eight cavities in Friedrichshafen

Messe Fakuma

Reinraumsysteme / -technik

Miniaturization is a Megatrend

Before Covid 19, some 65 % of pipette tips were used without filter, but meanwhile, a majority of pipette tips now has filters. What does this mean for manufacturers?

Filters on the pipette tips protect the pipettes and samples from unintentional and unnoticed contamination – especially with automated laboratory tests

Automatisierungszellen

Montageeinrichtungen

Filtergewebe

Filter Assembly System for Pipette Tips

At Fakuma 2021, Engel is expanding its product range of intelligent assistance systems. The new iQ motion control allows Engel viper series linear robots a reliable early start combined with fully automatically optimized motion planning. Users benefit twofold: from a time-saving in teach-in and shorter production cycles.

iQ motion control operates with automatically optimized motion planning

Folientechnik (IMD, IML, FIM, u.a.)

Linearroboter für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Spritzgießmaschinen

Kreislaufwirtschaft

Optimized Motion Planning for Shorter Cycle Times

Zahoransky Automation & Molds GmbH has entered into a partnership with the Swiss company Kebo AG. The result of this collaboration is a new mold concept for the production of pipette tips, which features a double quick-change system.

If a core breaks during production, it can be replaced quickly

Double Quick-Change System Speeds up Production

Pipette tips feature a challenging wall thickness/length ratio, an inner geometry that is key for analysis results, and a tip opening just a few tenths of a millimeter wide. They have been in extremely high demand during the coronavirus pandemic, which is why the mold construction and hot runner specialist Männer has developed a mold with an innovative cluster concept.

At the Männer test center in Bahlingen, Germany: an injection mold for manufacturing pipette tips, shown here in operation. Automation of the system is currently being set up

Pipette Tips: Männer Presents a Mold with Replaceable Clusters

Maintenance During (Nearly)  Uninterrupted Production

Space-saving machine concepts for demanding production environments are booming. A real-life example of a slit micro-membrane for pharmaceutical glass vials shows how intelligent machine functions make an important contribution to supporting machine operators and continuous documentation of the production process.

Injection molding and slitting of an LSR membrane for a glass-vial closure for pharmaceutical products make high demands on precision

KraussMaffei Delivers a Customized Solution for LSR Processing

Mikrospritzgießen

Silikonkautschuk

Transparency in Production

RKT has been manufacturing plastic products for medical and industrial technology for 45 years. Discs for the rapid analysis of multi-resistant hospital germs are a lighthouse project within the sophisticated product portfolio.

 A six-axis robot picks the molded parts out of the mold under an inert gas atmosphere and conveys them into the cleanroom for further processing and packaging

High-Tech Production of Life-Saving Disks for Fast Analysis of Dangerous Germs

An All-Round Winner

In its latest investment, the Röchling Group is channeling EUR 50 million into the medical technology sector. In an interview with Kunststoffe, Chairman of the Board, Prof. Dr. Hanns-Peter Knaebel, and Medical Division CEO, Dr. Boris Fröhlich, report on the challenges of cleanroom extrusion, quickfire solutions at a time of pandemic, and creating a home for bats.

Prof. Hanns-Peter Knaebel (left) and Dr. Boris Fröhlich

It Is Not Components but Complete Solutions that Are in Demand

Schröder, Susanne

“The Future Does Not Lie in  Plastics Alone”

Any place where plastic parts slide against one another, primarily in injectors, in the operating room and in patient care, the low-friction and wear-resistant plastics help facilitate the handling of devices.

Patients expect self-medication auto-injectors to work reliably every time they use them. Covestro offers new Makrolon brand polycarbonate plastics for the manufacture of such devices: improved, low-friction grades as well as glass-filled products with very high strength

Covestro Offers New Families of Makrolon

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Faserverbundwerkstoffe

Polycarbonat

Materials for Drug Delivery Devices and Surgical Instruments

Duracon PM27S01N offers reduced wall thickness, miniaturization, and lower weight. It delivers global medical and food regulatory compliance.

The material adheres to strict quality management systems including conformity to VDI guideline, VDI 2017 medical-grade plastics

Polyplastics Enlarges Polyoxymethylene Series

Kunststoffhandel

High-Flow Grade for Medical and Healthcare Industry

The consumables required for In-vitro diagnostics are manufactured in a production process that is subject to high requirements in terms of precision and quality, but also the complex cleanroom manufacturing environment. This has implications for the entire plant technology – especially toolmaking.

64-cavity tool for pipette tips. The hot runner system is balanced across all cavities

Strategic Approach through Classification according to Product Groups

Werkzeug- und Formenbau

Mold Platforms for IVD Consumables

Polymers can be protected against relevant microorganisms with a single antimicrobial product.

The antimicrobial protection of the new Sanitized product is permanently effective, even after weathering

Additive for Plastic Surfaces

Compound

Additive

Protection against Microorganisms

Thermoplastic compounds with integrated electrical conductivity offer a potential solution to resolve EMI, EMS and electrostatic discharge challenges. These thermoplastic materials can deliver the appropriate level of electromagnetic shielding for electronics, while providing freedom to design complex geometries and opportunities to streamline processing by avoiding secondary operations.

SEM analysis illustrates inferior dispersal (above) and good dispersion (bottom) of conductive fibers in molded polycarbonate parts. The distribution can be optimized by appropriate processing parameters and injection molding machines (PC resin)

Ensure the Electromagnetic Compatibility of Wireless Devices with Special Plastics

Kunststoff-Erzeugung

Well Protected against  Electromagnetic Interference

What AM technology is considered capable of today and how it can be applied in many areas of application is shown (representative) by this expert’s view of medical technology.

To enhance the mobility of the spine, the upper and lower shell of this disc prosthesis are connected with an elastic double spring made of titanium. The core also contains a cushioning silicone filling. The prosthesis can be manufactured according to the patient’s anatomy using the LaserCusing process 

Status and Perspectives for Human Medicine

Anlagen für die Additive Fertigung

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, Metall

Werkstoffe für additive Verfahren

Medical Applications of Additive Manufacturing

Due to its high-performing properties polyetheretherketone thermoplastic polymer is being used more and more frequently in many products.

PEEK can replace fluoropolymers in cryogenic applications. Advanced Engineering Valves uses PEEK from Victrex for sealings in ball valves