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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.

Pipette Tips: Männer Presents a Mold with Replaceable Clusters

Spritzgießen

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Heißkanalsysteme

Medizintechnik

Medizinprodukte

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.

KraussMaffei Delivers a Customized Solution for LSR Processing

Automatisierungszellen

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.

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

Reinraumsysteme / -technik

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.

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.

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.

Polyplastics Enlarges Polyoxymethylene Series

Polyoxymethylen

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.

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.

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.

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.

Status and Perspectives for Human Medicine

Anlagen für die Additive Fertigung

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, Kunststoff

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.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK)

Elektronik-Fertigung

Polyetherketon

Mikroelektronik

Elektronik

Kunststoff

Hochleistungskunststoffe

Delivering Efficiency Even in  Harsh Environments

Styrenics can be polymerized using different technologies and it can be modified with a range of copolymers. The resulting plastics offer a wide range of properties allowing to customize them for different applications. Because of this range of properties they are suitable for many industries. Strong demand is for example driven by the automotive industry, healthcare and the packaging industry.

Styrenic Polymers

Verpackungsmaterial

Automotive

Polystyrol

Technische Kunststoffe

Styrol-Copolymerisate

Diverse Shapes and Applications

Lightweight construction, functionality and design are characteristic of material development in all areas of application for PC compounds, composites and films. The range of materials has enormous opportunities when it comes to the mobility of the future, lightweight structural construction with continuous fiber-reinforced composites, 5G technology and medical technology.

Polycarbonate (PC)

Recycling

Kunststoff-Recycling

Present in a Multitude of Trends

In the production of plastic parts for the medical and pharmaceutical industry, the requirements for cleanroom environments are becoming increasingly stringent. In this area, not only the demand for all-electric injection molding machines is increasing. There is also an increasing use of electric drives for the implementation of mold movements, which meet the high requirements for cleanliness and reliability.

Electrical Drives in Injection Molds

Elektrische Antriebe

Mess- / Regel- und Prozessleittechnik

Mess-, Steuer- und Regelgeräte

Mold Technology

For almost two decades, an expert committee, meeting once a year, has supported Kunststoffe magazine in determining the state of play in the plastics industry and identifying current technical developments. This time, the traditional spring meeting gave it an opportunity to debate the consequences of the Corona virus.

Current Challenges and Options for Action in the Plastics Industry

Wirtschaftspolitik in Deutschland

Klotz, Karlhorst, Dr.

Internationale Wirtschaft

Verpackungsanlagen

Wirtschaft

Kunststoff-Verpackungsmaschine

Starting up under the Shadow  of Corona

Even more than with foodstuffs, what matters in most cases with drug packaging is the contents protected by the wrapping. These are not good conditions to pursue a cycle concept for packaging. But times are changing – perhaps.

Steps to More Sustainable Packaging in the Medical and Cosmetics Industries

No Chance for the Cycle Concept?

With the Corona pandemic sweeping the world, considerable energies are being freed up and focused on developing and manufacturing urgently required medical equipment. Working under extreme time pressure, the OKE Group GmbH, based in Hörstel, Germany, has developed a concept for a full-face mask that can be quickly implemented and, according to the manufacturer, offers reliable basic protection. 

Implementing a Face Mask Concept in Record Time 

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Heißkanaltechnik

Small Injection Moldings for Protection against Corona 

The aim of the Medical Device Regulation is to further increase the safety of medical devices. With it, many products will be subject to a higher classification with considerably strengthened requirements in order to achieve CE conformity. Especially for small and medium-sized companies, it is a challenge to provide the required information for all components in the medical device.

Development and Production of Medical Devices Are Changing Dramatically

Dichtungen

Normen / Standards

Dichtungsschäumen

A Strong Partner for MDR Conformity

In order to minimize the risk of contamination in the production of medical products, Scholz HTIK (High Tech in Kunststoff) decided to change its temperature control processes from oil to water as a heat transfer medium.

Processing of High-Performance Plastics without Purity Problems

Temperiergeräte

Temperiertechnik

Temperature Control with Water up to 230 °C as a Substitute for Oil

Arburg Plastic Freeforming is predestined for the additive manufacturing of medtech components. The associated Freeformer-type additive manufacturing systems process the same plastic pellets that are used in injection molding. That makes the open systems very economical to use.

Medical Product Manufacturers Are Processing Original Materials Using the Freeformer

Anlagen Additive Fertigung / 3D-Druck, andere

Biokunststoffe

Arburg Kunststoff Freiformen

New Possibilities for Use  in the Human Body

In no other field the possibilities and advantages of 3D printing are more pronounced than for medical devices. With the right high-performance materials, complex patient-customized implants can be produced that medical doctors are using to push the boundaries of the possible – for the benefit of patients.

New Ways for Production of Plastic Implants by 3D Printing

Verfahren für die additive Fertigung

Custom Implants from the 3D Printer

Housings not only protect the inner workings of medical equipment, but also protect patients from electric shocks, for example. This function is very important for the increasingly widespread medical wearables, which are often in constant contact with the patient. When designing such devices, it is therefore important to select the appropriate housing material.

Materials for Medical Wearable Housings

Gehäuse aus Kunststoff

Protection and Attractive Design

RTP Company, Winona, MN/USA, has developed thermoplastic technologies that can be utilized for surgical robotic systems, with special properties such as strength, flame retardance, wear/chemical/impact resistance, color, and the ability to withstand sterilization methods. If required, biocompatibility support can be provided for many of these compounds. 

Withstands Sterilization Methods 

Thermoplaste

Material for Surgical Robotic Systems 

A Polish pharmaceutical company is developing inhalation therapy for the treatment of lung disease and the appropriate drug delivery drug. The inhaler has a complex interior and consists of 14 components. In order to be able to produce these with the required precision, Celon Pharma has formed a partnership with the mold making company Glittenberg and its hot runner sister Witosa.

Glittenberg Supplies Tools for Vital Medical Devices to Celon Pharma

Plastic in the Service of Medicine

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag Plastics Machinery GmbH, Schwaig, Germany, considers the circular economy and efficiency as future themes of plastics processing. In addition, digitalization continues to be a focus. A networked cell with remote-diagnosis options, online support, document tracking and spare parts ordering are representative of the “smart services” offered by the machine manufacturer. Visitors can use networked terminals to see how the “myConnect” software improves customer service. 

Sumitomo (SHI) Demag at K 2019 

Industrie 4.0

Spritzgießmaschinen

Smart, Fast and Sustainable 

Tool and mold makers are detail oriented and innovative. Prof. Thomas Seul and Fabian Diehr met with some industry players to explore different paths they have taken through the thicket of this industry-jungle they have to deal with.

A Journey through the Landscape of the Tool and Mold Making Industry

Trend Setting or Following?