Plastic resins for plastic injection in medical industry

As you may have seen through our articles the presence of plastic injection in our lives taken goes beyond tuppers, that even in the medical industry it has taken significant importance, as we mentioned in our last post about plastic injection in the medical industry.

We also know that it is a topic that may be unknown to many people, so we have decided to bring you more information about it, and yes, we will keep talking about plastics in medicine; this way you will know how the devices used by specialists or, in many occasions, by yourself are made. 

Today we will be talking about the different types of plastics used to developed medical equipment such as syringes, prosthesis, among others. So if you want to continue learning more about the world of plastic injection in San Antonio, keep reading. 

Why is plastic used in the medical industry?

Before talking about the types of plastic resins we want you to be clear about the role plastic injection in San Antonio has in the medical industry, because there are still questions about the efficiency of this material. 

Plastic has multiple benefits for the medicine, the first one is that due to its lightness it is much easier to transport and handle by the medical team. 

In second place, the plastic used for medical equipment is not toxic, on the contrary, the degree to which it is handled prevents microorganisms from developing inside these devices, thus maintaining their sterile quality until they begin to be handled. 

Likewise, it counts with a low cost production, this does not means that it is going to be cheap or that the materials used will not be of high quality, since to manufacture this type of devices it is necessary to have a good equipment and an isolated production area, in other words, a clean room with a completely sterile environment so that the devices are not contaminated. 

The reduced production costs in plastic injection in San Antonio is obtained thanks to the fact that it is a process that allows mass production due to the use of plastic injection molds which in only one procedure can obtain multiple pieces. 

What types of plastics are used in the medical industry?

Now that you know what plastic injection molding offers for the product manufacturing for the medical industry, it is time to talk about the different plastic resins that are used to develop the devices and equipment. 

1.- Sterilization resistant plastic

The first type of plastic are those resistant to sterilization, as we know one of the most important characteristics of medical products is that they are sterile, hence the plastic used in syringes must be resistant to this type of process. 

Sterilization is a treatment that is given to devices to eliminate all microorganisms, for this purpose there are several types of sterilization and the choice of the plastic to be used will depend on this procedure.  

The majority of the process is based on exposing different objects to water steam at a temperature of 134°C for at least 3 minutes, so the plastic that is introduced into these compressors must tolerate high temperatures. Some plastics that can tolerate this process are: 

• PPSU
• POM-C
• PEEK 

2.- Low density plastics

Equally, plastics that are used in this industry must be able to maintain their shape regardless of the characteristics of the environment in which they are exposed. 

That is why medical grade plastics have a low level of moisture absorption and a low level of expansion when exposed to heat. In other words, they have the characteristics that when there is humidity or the weather is cold they do not contract and when exposed to high temperatures they do not expand. The plastics that have this property are: 

• PET
• PEEK
• PPS
• PSU
• PPSU

3.- X-ray plastics

Last but not least, several X-ray units have equipment manufactured with plastic, and again the plastic used in these can’t be just any plastic as it must have properties that make it resistant to X-ray exposure. 

At present, most of the plastics used in this area are opaque, however this quality is obtained by modifying them. Two of the most commonly used plastics for devices and equipment of this nature are PPPSU and PEEK. 

Now that you know the plastics used in plastic injection for the medical industry, tell us what is your opinion and if you find it useful share this post with your acquaintances and in your social media. Also, stay tuned to our blog for more information rewarding plastic injection in San Antonio.