This is a more complicated molding type. When carrying out regular molding, the thicker parts tend to dry or solidify slower than the thinner walls. The reason is that there isn’t enough pressure to pack the resin properly and make it even.

The gas-assisted injection molding method is not suitable for creating tools with sharp corners in their design, because gas pressure will reduce if it doesn’t flow in a straight line. However, this type is more suitable for producing complex parts.

Besides physical properties, the color of the part can also be influenced, which is one of the most popular uses for additives. These providers will also sometimes establish partnerships with the thermoplastic producers to offer customers cheaper deals.

There should be no breakable plastics in manufacturing devices to avoid or minimize biohazards in the medical field. Hence, each selected material should have a satisfactory durability index before being put to use.  More so, they should be able to exhibit a high level of tensile strength.

However, to be able to do this, you should understand what exactly these areas are and how vital they are for your project. At Xometry, we offer the Xometry Quoting Engine to quickly get started on quoting your next injection molding project. Insert your requirements and designs into the Xometry's Quote Engine to get started and our experts will be in touch with you to start working out the details!

The application of plastic molding injection in the medical device industry is diverse. Medical suppliers go for this process as the products easily attain the stipulated standards of quality and safety. Besides, medical device plastic injection molding comes in handy in areas like:

The process involves running gas through the channels built into the mold.  The gas (Nitrogen gas) passes through the middle of these thicker sections. Also, this creates the pressure necessary to press the resin tightly against the mold, making a smooth, structurally sound part with zero sink marks.

If you want to produce high-quality machined parts with a sleek appearance, it’s essential to consider some critical factors related to CNC machining.

Saving money on injection molding can be helpful, but it’s important to be strategic around which areas you save money in. In order to maintain a cost-effective strategy for low cost injection molding, it is just as important to identify areas where trying to save money could cause bigger issues down the line as it is to find areas to lower the cost. The following tips will help you with both:

The ability to withstand adverse conditions is a crucial consideration for plastic molding materials. They must be reliable and durable when subjected to heat, corrosives, liquid, vibrations, and other human body movements. Most of the plastics used in this process come out tops in this requirement.

Injection molding cycle time takes up about 60% of final part cost. The part rate comes down partially to cycle time and partially to cavitation, which is covered in the next section. Generally, manufacturers will have set hourly rates they charge for their machines.

The materials utilized in this production process easily withstand the invasion of contaminates. Also, they don’t need much sterilization to stay germ-free. Because of this factor, the material easily meets the FDA standards and other stipulated requirements.

Some parts may not need secondary services, while others do. The cheapest parts fall out of the machine and into a box, but others will form attached to the gate. Those require post-process machining to remove the gate, but they are used because gating makes the overall process more efficient and less wasteful.

In the process of plastic injection for the medical device industry, exceptional accuracy is a must. Due to the tight tolerance margin, every inch, millimeter, or centimeter count can influence the whole molding development. Besides, it is essential to use skilled injection molding facilities to achieve this high-level accuracy.

Generally, atomization technology creates a powder mix from the desired metals. This powder is made into a pellet (feedstock), which includes a binding agent that makes it easier to mold.

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Mold setup costs include optimizing the process as well as physically setting up the materials and machinery to create your parts. These are part of the final price per part. The process will be optimized, and there may be some setup time that goes into preparations, which most companies will charge as its own flat fee. This may encompass processes like drying the resin, hanging the molds, arranging water lines, external troubles, and any type of sensors in the mold. It may also include any type of special cooling required or specific gating scheme that acts as a hot manifold system (which keeps runners hot enough to keep the plastic in them liquid).

You can either buy a ready-made injection mold or have one made for you. Ready-made mold use is a common practice and the less expensive option, especially in the electronics industry since standardization is quite prevalent. You can also have one produced for you, which is better for unique designs.

Plastic weight cost includes both the plastic formed into parts and the hardened plastic left over in the mold. You'll also have to cover the cost of the plastic weight, not only in the parts but in the runner, sprue, and gate as well (the runner and sprue are channels molten plastic flows through to get into the mold, while the gate prevents plastic from flowing out once it's inside). For example, if you end up with 4lbs of parts, and 1lb of leftover plastic that hardens in the sprue and runner, you'll pay for 5 lbs.

If you’re looking for an injection parts medical manufacturer, you can visit RapidDirect’s Injection Molding Services for more in-depth information. RapidDirect, an ISO 9001 certified industry, is a renowned name in the injection parts industry, offering you a rich experience in making injection molded parts, including medical injection parts. Also, we provide custom injection molding services at a competitive price and detailed reports of inspection and material tests.  You can stand to get an instant quote and free automated DfM feedback after you upload a CAD file.

The medical injection molding process uses a vast range of material options to manufacture medical and pharmaceutical parts. There are various plastic injection molding materials used that give the process high efficiency. Some of them are:

The extremely high level of precision needed within the aerospace industry makes CNC machining a suitable manufacturing process for the sector.

If your provider is expected to deliver a ready or almost ready-to-use product, the packaging used may be the one your customers get to see directly. Some providers also offer personalized packaging services for this purpose.

Plastics have a wide range of use in the medical field. They are almost indispensable in creating plastic injection molding medical parts and tools like Syringes, surgical gloves, IV tubes, catheters, etc. These products are for one-time use only, erasing the need for sterilization and reducing the spread of highly contagious or virulent diseases.

In plastic injection molding for the medical device industry, thin-wall molding is one of the most common processes. It is for producing tools or effects that involve both function and patient comfort. The walls of the injection parts of the medical device are much thinner relative to the complete pieces. The walls are usually thinner than 1mm.

The way the medical plastic injection process is set up helps cut unnecessary injection molding costs — massive production deliveries and high-volume manufacturing help to maximize the process. Hence, whenever there is an extraordinary volume of medical injection parts being produced, the injection molding process can reduce the cost per part.

In this equation α is the thermal diffusivity coefficient and h max is the maximum wall thickness in millimeters. While the first is a material-specific constant, the latter is a design choice or requirement. As such, depending on the part's complexity, the cycle time can take up to two minutes.

As a manufacturer, it is preferable to maintain the cycle time to as low as a number as possible, since that translates into the production of more parts in a given time.

As a result, the resin ends up looking misshapen, ugly, and weaker structurally than it should due to the sink marks. Gas-assisted injection molding is the solution to this problem of making plastic injection molding medical parts.

For medical component manufacturing, FDA requirements are the standards to aim at in all processes. The regulations for sterility and cleanliness are stringent and require strict observance. In all the stages of productions, ensure all inputs meet or surpass the laid down standards. For medical-grade approval, the factory must pass the standards in the components and production process.

Large, industrial plastic injection molding machines can cost over $200,000 and have additional costs that are related to skilled labor training, maintenance, monitoring, and even industry regulations. These types of machines are reserved for high-volume orders.

Extra steps such as finishing or post-processing services, inspection, and packaging represent an additional cost to the price per part and setup fees.

Plastic resins, which can range between $.90-$2+ per pound, are the primary material used in plastic injection molding, while additives can range from more expensive additives like heat stabilizers to cheaper plasticizers. When choosing a resin, take into account the following considerations:

Injection molding tooling for a mid-level order (around 1000-2000 small parts), can cost up to $10,000. For more complex geometries and large orders, the cost can go up to $100,000.

The strict requirements of this process require a hygienic environment for production. This environment ensures that no ambient air, dust, or moisture settles on the mold or mixture while it sets. The rubber-like substance produced through this process is highly chemical resistant.

The form impacts the cost of this material it is bought in, as not all polypropylenes are molding-ready. It is thus necessary to buy the plastic resin in pellet form. You may notice that engineering-grade plastics are generally more expensive (as with POM and PC). Overall though, the more materials you buy, the better your cost-effectiveness will become, as producers and distributors often have high-volume discounts which translate into better prices for your project.

After injection comes the removal of the binding agent through various means, including solvent, a catalytic process, thermal furnaces, or even a combination of these methods. This leaves behind injection parts with a 100% density at the end.

If you want to impart special physical properties to the resin you're using, or simply defray the cost of using pure plastic resin, you can add additives. Commonly used materials like plasticizers and mineral fillers are among the cheapest that can be used, while products like lubricants and heat stabilizers can cost more than the polymer itself. There is a wide array of additives that impart a variety of properties, including glass fiber, ceramic fillers, pigments, UV stabilizers, plasticizers, and antioxidants. These materials can increase strength, impact resistance, durability, elasticity, and fatigue limit.

Trained personnel are required to validate the quality of the parts included in your order. Generally, however, if the part does not meet requirements (or expectations), the quality verification team of your provider is tasked with identifying the area and possible cause of the issue. This is, however, an internal process that is taken into account when you first make your order (no additional costs should be applied in this scenario).

The table below can be used to approximate the cost of plastic injection molding related to the most commonly used materials. These prices can vary, depending on the supplies and volume order.

Another aspect to keep in mind is that for custom injection molds, the geometry has to be compatible with the machine used by the manufacturer. This constraint may affect your project (and possibly design), so it is best to make sure the company you are interested in can fulfill the order.

Think of the best laboratory facility and medical devices, made with top quality finish, and it’s undoubtedly through the medical plastic molding process. One good thing about the procedure is that it is both cost-efficient and delivers with exceptional accuracy and consistency. Besides, it comes in handy when the volume of productions is high and requires a masterpiece level of construction.

Some medical devices like tubes and respiratory masks are quite difficult to keep hygienic. So, liquid silicone injection molding is generally the most suitable in producing equipment like these.

Secondary services will range in cost, though often you can get a discount for ordering both injection molding and secondary services from the same provider (this also saves on shipping costs for another facility). These may come in the form of:

The process of plastic injection molding for medical devices is critical, with a high probability of failure. Thus, there are some factors one needs to consider before and during the design, planning, and operational procedure. They include:

Always consider the material’s area of use before selection. For instance, single-use materials like syringes, needles, tubing, and connectors should be transparent, flexible, and easy to sterilize. Likewise, surgical injection parts should be lightweight and ergonomic.

With the level of results of this process, it’s no surprise that it serves as the medical prototype development approval process for the FDA. Here, we explain what this medical injection molding process entails and its role in the medical industry.

Tooling costs depend on how complex or large your parts will be. In other words, if your part is complex (for example, if it has intricate geometry or dense walls), the manufacturer may need to use a special (i.e. more expensive) machine to complete your order.

The materials used in production are greatly dependent on the object being made. These molds (prototypes) go through extensive rounds of testing to ensure their usability.

Equipment made in this manner has a high requirement for its material. While the walls are thin, the device or tool maintains its integrity and durability to an extent. As a result of these requirements, its base materials tend to be plastic (especially LCP or Polypropylene, or even nylon).

Devices produced with this injection molding type include wearable devices, surgical tools, and catheter ablation tools.

Injection molded parts cost varies based on mold upkeep, the time to form a part, and factors around the plastic. These include the part rate, the estimated amount of scrap (usually 3-5%), the plastic weight, and sometimes a mold maintenance fee, which covers the cost of injection mold warranties. The quoted price should also include any setup costs for the molds.

A known fact about plastics used in injection molding is that it is ruggedly durable. These materials provide dogged strength and resistance to adverse environments and usage. Therefore, the products of this process can comfortably withstand heat, blunt force, and vibration without any incidence of cracks or breakages. Also, when they undergo sterilization in autoclaves, they don’t cave to the heat.

Injection molding costs from $10,000 or less to $100,000, depending on order size, part complexity, and other factors. Injection molding can be expensive to set up, but is cheaper over the long run, so it works best for large production volumes. There is a range of factors affecting the final price you would pay for injection molded parts, including the cost of the resin itself, tooling, cycle time, mold cavitation, and other details.

Silicone doesn’t react with biological tissue, making it even more suitable to implant it safely. However, this injection molding process requires many steps. This is also dependent on the properties expected of the resultant silicone product.

Part inspection requirements costs for quality can include standard inspection or specialized certification, though specialized certification will cost more. The injection molding process itself can introduce defects of various degrees to parts (from cosmetic to critical). Some of them may be acceptable, depending on industry standards.

Medical injection molding is a cheaper and more efficient method of making medical and pharmaceutical parts, including medical devices, laboratory tools, equipment, and testing instruments. Medical parts made from this method reach a high level of precision, quality, and accuracy.

Medical-grade plastic materials are simply plastics designed to create medical products.  It is also suitable for manufacturing Vitro diagnostics and primary packaging products. These products help preserve and contain medicines to avoid contamination in pharmaceuticals.

One way of producing durable and reliable medical-grade components that meet FDA standards is through medical injection molding. The process is now the go-to procedure for manufacturing state-of-the-art medical equipment because it offers countless advantages.

The injection molding procedure offers the widest range of options for choosing materials. Although medical injection molding narrows the scope of injection molding materials, there are still many materials that are suitable for manufacturing medical-grade components. We’ll touch on that more in the later parts of this guide.

Some companies offer the possibility of additional certification to your parts, at a cost. This implies the involvement of specialized engineers that are also licensed and are legally capable of offering these certifications.

The innovative medical injection molding process is a ground-breaking invention that has swept through the industry. The manufacturing of medical injection parts not only satisfies laid down industry standards but makes the usage process smooth. This article explained some of the rudiments of the process and other important details.

Injection molding tooling cost increases exponentially if we are talking about a large custom-designed part. From the operator's perspective, it is preferable to use small (desktop) injection molding machines (and even 3D printers) in order to fulfill low-volume orders.

Injection molding costs can vary depending on materials, equipment, mold cavitation, packaging, necessary certifications, and additional services employed. While your project may have strict requirements for the functionality of the desired part, there are multiple ways one can cut costs without sacrificing quality.

Mold cavitation cost, another factor in price per part rate, increases with the number of cavities. Cavitation is the amount of identical cavities that produce parts per mold. The injection mold itself can cost thousands of dollars.

Mold cavitation is related to part size and design. If your part is relatively simple, single cavity molds are usually more affordable. However, if the part's geometry allows it, it is preferable to go for multiple-cavity molds to speed up the production process (making production less expensive over time). Larger parts may, however, not allow for this.

Set scrap rates will also go into the final cost of injection molding. These are for purging the plastic injection molding machines of previous plastics from the barrel and screws as well as reloading them with your plastic.

Part packaging costs range depending on whether you require consumer-facing or just shipping packaging. Larger manufacturers can also make use of automatic packaging, which reduces the risk of error and damage.

The use of metal in medical device manufacturing is a technique that we cannot overlook. The reason is that metal equipment plays a significant role when it needs equipment with high density, small size, and maneuverability. This doesn’t detract from the numerous uses and advantages of traditional 3D printing, medical plastic molding, or gas-assisted molding.

Manufactures providing injection molding services use different plastic molding techniques to produce medical-grade parts. But here, we will be looking at the 4 common types, which include:

The process of medical injection molding edges out similar production procedures in the industry. With its smooth and seamless operation, there are numerous advantages the process offers, and they include but are not limited to:

A minimal need for medical products but is important. All housing equipment or facility, or device parts that come in contact with the human body must be contaminant-resistant. They should also go through sterilization processes without damage.