Miniaturization and micro-sizing are trending in many industries and the Medical Manufacturing industry is not alone. As technology increases along with our ability to micro-size everything, the medical device manufacturing community is asked to fabricate smaller, faster and more efficient devices of all kinds. These micro-components demand greater precision and improved handling of parts.
Micro-machining and molding techniques are constantly being refined and improved to accommodate these needs. With micro-machining techniques employed in molding, manufacturers are now creating parts for medical devices such as insulin pumps, heart monitors, and IV treatment instruments that are long-lasting and safe.
Quality control and testing of components become even more significant with size reduction. Digital design and control of the process help reduce inconsistencies and ensure standardization of the end product. Ongoing changes to manufacturing using high-speed drills and lasers aid in control of the entire process resulting in the most consistent, high-quality product available as the end product.
In some of the latest news related to this field, the industry is seeking more clarity from the FDA in regards to 3D medical device printing. The possibility of printing patient specific and affordable products is real but many questions remain around this topic in regards to ethics as related to human application as well as applications in clinical studies when printed devices are used in the place of the manufacturing standard.
As the drive toward micro-sizing continues, Proto Plastics is poised to continue to meet the challenges and provide you with high-quality products. We to proud to offer a range of services to our customers to help you design, construct and maintain molds for the smallest of microdevices. Contact us to learn more about our capabilities in medical device manufacturing.