Tag: injection molding

Plastic Injection in San Antonio

Plastics are found everywhere in our lives, you find them as bottles of water, toys, and in tiny objects like cell phones or medical devices which can be implanted in the body.

Have you ever wondered how each product we use is manufactured? It is all thanks to plastic injection and injection molding, do you know what they are about?

Do not worry! The experts at Precision Group bring for you this article to learn more about the plastic injection molding process in San Antonio. If you are looking for a company that supports you in the creation of products, the mold manufacturing for your business, or simply to know more about the topic, we invite you to read it!

What is plastic injection molding?

Before going into details, let’s start by clarifying what plastic injection is: In engineering, it is a technique that consists in molding a plastic product through the pressure injection of plastic polymers.

In other words, we have a mold with the shape of the final product; this product has a nozzle through which hot resins enter filling each cavity of it, and when it cools, the product is ready to use.

Later on, we’ll discuss the manufacturing process of plastic products thanks to plastic injection in San Antonio.

What type of polymers are used for plastic injections?

Plastic injection is a process that needs to be precise; that is the reason prior to the manufacturing of plastic injection molding in San Antonio the characteristics of the product and the client’s specifications are considered to determine the best materials for the creation of the product.

At this point, it is explained some of the most common plastic resins used in plastic injection. However, it is necessary to clarify that any type of polymer is viable for this process, it depends on the needs of each person and product.

Polyethylene (PE): Household products are manufactured of this type of plastic. It is used not only for plastic containers, bottles, bags, but also for bulletproof vests by using a different treatment.
Polypropylene (PP): This type of polymer is not toxic, therefore it is used to manufacture children’s toys and different medical tools for example syringes.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC): It is one of the most popular plastics due to its use in pipes since it is highly resistant to chemicals.
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET): This polymer is widely used in the manufacture of plastic bottles and containers.
Polystyrene (PS): This type of plastic resin is used in the manufacture of household appliances, toys and the automotive industry.

Plastic injection process

Once you know the most common types of plastic resins, it is the moment for you to learn more about the plastic injection process; it has four stages and the second one has two phases.

1.- Mold closure

The first stage consists on placing the mold in the press and closing it under pressure and, once the plastic injection cycle begins, the material won’t come out. Likewise, the product’s specifications and the mold will determine the amount of pressure that needs to be applied.

There are pieces that require a pressure of over 2,000 tons to produce them. To have an idea of the power of this process, a diver swimming in the deepest earth’s ocean trench would have to withstand 10 tons of pressure.

2.- Injection

The second stage of plastic injection has two phases: The filling phase and The sustaining phase.

2.1.- The filling phase

After the mold is already closed, the screw or spindle rotates to drive the plastic resins into the injection chamber, and when it is full, the heaters will melt the plastic. When it comes in contact with the mold, it does not cool down so fast, and you can get the desired shape.

2.2. The sustaining phase

In this phase, pressure is maintained to keep the same temperature in the plastic before the plastic injection process begins.

3.- Plasticization or dosage

Once the mold is closed and the chamber full, the plastic resins are injected into it, then, the screw rotates to transport the material forward and fill all the mold cavities. This stage is performed at the same moment the plastic is cooled to optimize the processing time and to have the plastic product ready more promptly.

4.- Mold opening

When the mold temperature and the plastic piece are at the extraction point, the mold is opened and the product is removed from the interior to close it again and restart the process.

Advantages of the plastic injection

Plastic injection is a simple process for those who have the experience and knowledge to select not only the plastic polymer, but also the ideal pressure for each type of mold. Additionally, it has several advantages for companies and entrepreneurs with the objective of optimizing costs in the development of their products.

1.- Mass production

The plastic injection molding is a process that allows the creation of plastic parts and products in mass. A single mold can be used hundreds, thousands, and millions of times without affecting the dimensions.

2.-High accuracy

At the moment a plastic injection mold is manufactured, the dimensions should be very well analyzed since the equipment is complex and highly precise to avoid having to re-manufacture a plastic part.

3.- No finishing processes

Finally, with the plastic injection molding you avoid detailed processes because it’s not needed. The product is finished and ready to be sold at the market.

3 Industries using plastic injection molding

The three industries that incorporate plastic parts created from injection molding are the following:

Consumer: This may not seem new to you. Consumers in general are full of products that are created thanks to plastic injection as they develop different containers, from plastic bottles to cookie bags or refractories to storage food or even household appliances.
Automotive: In the same form, the automotive industry uses plastic injection molding to create pieces and components for the correct functioning of vehicles, ranging from the caps that cover the elements of the hood to the bumper or the dashboard.

Medical: Finally, the medical industry implements plastic injection molding, as it is mentioned before, from the manufacturing of syringes to more specialized medical devices with the necessity to have better plastic quality, to mention an example: the rapid test for the detection of the SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19)

Now, you know more about what plastic injection molding is, how it works, some advantages, and the process to follow and get these types of products. Don’t forget to share this post on your social media.

Stay tuned for updates in our blog because the Precision Group is developing more content for you about plastic injection.

Unleashing Precision: A Guide to Tooling Inserts and How Precision Group Expertise Can Transform Your Workflow

Inyección de plástico en México

Los plásticos están en todas las áreas de nuestra vida, desde las botellas de agua, toppers o juguetes hasta pequeñas partes que componen nuestros teléfonos celulares o dispositivos médicos, los cuales pueden implantarse en el cuerpo.

Pero, te has preguntado ¿cómo es que se crean cada uno de los productos que utilizamos? Todo es gracias a la inyección de plástico y los moldes para inyección, ¿sabes de qué se trata esto?

No te preocupes, los expertos de Precision Group traen para ti este artículo para que conozcas todo acerca del proceso de inyección de plástico en México; ya sea que busques una empresa que te apoye en la creación de productos o moldes para tu empresa o sólo quieras conocer más de este tema.

¿Qué es la inyección de plástico y para qué sirve?

Antes de entrar en detalles vamos a comenzar aclarando qué es la inyección de plástico: En ingeniería es una técnica que consiste en moldear una pieza de plástico a través de la inyección a presión de polímeros plásticos.

En otras palabras, se tiene un molde con la forma de la pieza final, esa pieza va a contar con una boquilla por donde entrarán las resinas calientes que irán llenando cada una de las cavidades para que, al enfriar, esté el producto final listo para su uso.

Más adelante estaremos hablando del proceso que lleva la creación de productos plásticos gracias a la inyección de plástico en México.

¿Qué tipo de polímeros se utilizan para la inyección de plástico?

Como puedes darte cuenta la inyección de plástico es un proceso que, sin duda, necesita ser bastante preciso, es por ello que previo a la fabricación de moldes para inyección de plástico en México se contemplan las características del producto y las especificaciones del cliente para elegir los mejores materiales para la creación de éste.

En este punto estaremos hablando de algunas de las resinas plásticas más utilizadas en el proceso de inyección de plástico, sin embargo cabe aclarar que cualquier tipo de polímero es viable para este proceso, todo depende de las necesidades de cada persona y producto.

Polietileno (PE): De este tipo de plástico se fabrican productos para el hogar, desde envases hasta bolsas de plástico, sin embargo, con un tratamiento diferente puede crear chalecos antibala.
Polipropileno (PP): Este tipo de polímeros plásticos no es tóxico por lo que se utiliza para la industria médica como en jeringas, además que es usualmente el plástico con el que se fabrican los juguetes infantiles.
Policloruro de Vinilo (PVC): Es muy probable que ya conozcas este plástico, es uno de los más comunes debido a su uso en tuberías, ya que es altamente resistente a químicos.
Polietileno Tereftalato (PET): De igual manera, este polímero es bastante utilizado, a partir de él se fabrican las botellas de plástico y envases.
Poliestireno (PS): Este tipo de resina plástica se utiliza en la fabricación de electrodomésticos, juguetes e industria automotriz.

Proceso de inyección de plástico

Ya que conoces cuáles son los tipos de resinas plásticas más utilizadas es momento de que sepas cuál es el proceso de inyección de plástico, consta de 4 etapas y nada más la segunda es la que conlleva otras 2 fases.

1.- Cierre del molde

La primera etapa consiste en colocar el molde en la prensa y cerrarlo a presión para que una vez que comienza el ciclo de inyección el plástico no se salga el material; de igual forma las especificaciones del producto y molde va a determinar la cantidad de presión que se deba aplicar.

Existen incluso piezas que requieren de una presión de más de 2 mil toneladas para elaborarlas, tal es la potencia para este proceso que, simplemente un buzo que nada hasta el foso marino más profundo de la tierra tendría que soportar sólo 10 toneladas de presión.

2.- Inyección

Como mencionamos en la introducción de este apartado, la segunda etapa es la que cuenta con dos fases, estamos hablando de la fase de llenado y la de sostenimiento; enseguida te hablaremos de cada una de éstas:

2.1.- Fase de llenado

Cuando el molde ya está cerrado el tornillo o husillo gira para conducir las resinas plásticas dentro de la cámara de inyección, cuando esté llena los calefactores van a fundir el plástico para que cuando éste haga contacto con el molde no se enfríe tan rápido y pueda conseguir la forma deseada.

2.2. Fase de mantenimiento

Se mantiene la presión para que todo el plástico necesario tenga la misma temperatura antes de comenzar la inyección de plástico.

3.- Plastificación o dosificación

Una vez que el molde esté cerrado y la cámara llena, comienza a inyectarse las resinas plásticas para ello el husillo gira para transportar el material hacia delante y llenar todas las cavidades del molde, esta etapa se realiza al mismo tiempo que se realiza el enfriamiento del plástico para optimizar tiempo del proceso y tener listo el producto plástico más rápido.

4.- Apertura del molde

Cuando la temperatura del molde y de la pieza plástica estén en el punto de extracción es el momento en el que éste se abre y podemos expulsar la pieza del interior para volver a cerrarlo y reiniciar el proceso.

Ventajas de la inyección de polímeros plásticos

La inyección de plástico es un proceso bastante sencillo cuando se cuenta con la experiencia y los conocimientos para seleccionar desde el polímero plástico hasta la presión ideal para cada tipo de molde, además que cuenta con varias ventajas para las empresas y emprendedores que buscan optimizar los costos en la elaboración de sus productos.

1.- Fabricación en serie

La primera ventaja es que la inyección de plástico es un proceso que permite crear piezas y productos plásticos en serie, ya que un sólo molde puede usarse cientos, miles o millones de veces sin que se vea afectada sus dimensiones.

2.- Alta precisión

Desde el momento en el que se fabrica un molde para inyección de plástico se debe cuidar las dimensiones ya que los equipos son complejos y de alta precisión para evitar que se tenga que volver a realizar la fabricación de una pieza plástica.

3.- Sin proceso de acabado

Finalmente, la inyección de plástico da como resultado piezas acabadas, es decir que ya no hay necesidad de realizar procesos de acabado para que el producto pueda salir al mercado.

3 industrias que utilizan la inyección de plásticos

Como último punto del artículo del día de hoy vamos a hablar de las industrias que utilizan piezas que se realizaron con inyección de plástico, ya que, como te comentamos al principio, el plástico está en todas las áreas de nuestra vida, sin embargo, es probable que no las detectemos al inicio. A continuación te hablaremos de 3 industrias que incorporan piezas plásticas creadas a partir de la inyección.

De consumo: Puede que ésta no te parezca novedad. El consumo en general está lleno de productos que fueron creados gracias a la inyección de plástico ya que desarrollan distintos envases, desde las botellas de plástico hasta las bolsas en las que vienen las galletas o los refractarios para guardar la comida e incluso los electrodomésticos.
Automotriz: Igualmente, la industria automotriz usa la inyección de plástico para la creación de piezas y componentes para el funcionamiento correcto de los vehículos, pueden ser desde las tapas que cubren los elementos del cofre hasta el parachoques o el tablero.
Médica: Finalmente, en la industria médica se llega a implementar la inyección de plástico como te mencionamos anteriormente para la creación de jeringas como dispositivos médicos más especializados y que necesitan una mejor calidad de plásticos por mencionar algunos, los test rápidos para la detección de COVID-19.

Ahora que ya conoces un poco más sobre lo que es la inyección de plástico, algunas de sus aplicaciones y el proceso que debe seguirse para fabricar este tipo de productos, no olvides compartir este post con tus conocidos o en tus redes sociales.

Además mantente al pendiente porque el equipo de Precision Group va a tener más contenido para ti sobre la inyección de plástico en México.

Precision Group of San Antonio is ISO 13485:2016 Certified

Precision Group of San Antonio today announced the company’s quality management system received its ISO 13485:2016 certification which will allow the plastics and tooling manufacturer to enter the medical device production market. The ISO 13485:2016 quality program specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet customer and applicable regulatory requirements.

“This certification was new for us and was a major step forward for our company because it opens up a new avenue of business for us. We have been working with San Antonio’s KCI-Medical over the last several years, but this quality certification will allow us to provide a wider array of services to them, and open some doors to the broader medical device market.”
Said Precision Group Quality Manager Anna Wulfe.

Wulfe explained that company went through a thorough three-day audit of its operations to secure the certification. They hired Perry Johnson Registrars, a world leader in quality assessments, to conduct their review. The analysis included a complete inspection of the procedures Precision Group developed for its business to ensure that all steps were being followed as described.

“THIS IS AN A TO Z INSPECTION. BUSINESSES WE WORK WITH WILL KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT WE HAVE BEEN VETTED FOR DELIVERING THE HIGHEST QUALITY STANDARDS. THIS GIVES OUR CLIENTS A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE WE THINK THEY DESERVE.”
Precision Group

“We were pleased to be able to work with a company with the international stature Perry Johnson has earned over the years. They looked at every aspect of our processes to include who our suppliers are, how we receive inventory, how we check against purchase orders to ensure we are accepting exactly what was ordered, how we label inventory and a host of other procedural steps like those. Then they examined our production processes and quality controls we implement there. This is an A to Z inspection so that businesses we work with will know for certain that we have been vetted for delivering the highest quality standards, which gives our clients a level of confidence we think they deserve.”
Wulfe Noted

By earning the ISO 13485:2016 certification, Precision Group will now need be open to unannounced inspections by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Wulfe said that those types of “without warning” inspections will be welcomed because it will be another level of quality assurance they can provide to current and future customers.

“At the end the certification process, the company being inspected gets a full report and a listing of major and minor findings. In other words, the audit team will explain where they found flaws in the system. We were pretty excited to learn that this audit team found no flaws in our procedures. We were told that this was the first time their team did not have any findings to report. Essentially, we were the first company to ever ace that particular inspection.”
Wulfe said

This quality assurance certification is valid for three years. However, the company will undergo annual inspections over that term to ensure compliance. At the end of the three years, another full examination must be performed in order for Precision Group to be re-certified for the ISO 13485:2016 approval. Requirements of ISO 13485:2016 are applicable to organizations regardless of their size or type, and can apply to medical devices or services supplied by the organization.

What You Need to Know About Injection Molding Options

Precision Group offers the full-service manufacturing of molded plastic components for a wide range of industries. Our expertise in precision tooling manufacturing includes a wide variety of molds, including prototype aluminum molds, multi-cavity, stack molds, rapid tooling, insert molds, gas-assisted, thin wall, and hot runner molds.

To help you better understand the benefits of each injection molding option, here’s a quick breakdown:

PROTOTYPE ALUMINUM MOLDS

Aluminum is one of the top materials for prototyping. Prototype aluminum molds offer higher production, better quality, and enhanced reliability.

MULTI-CAVITY MOLDS

Multi-cavity molds are ideal if you have thousands of moving parts every month. By increasing your product capacity, since there are so many mold cavities, production improves.

STACK MOLDS

In stack injection molding, molds are put on top of one another, and each mold level creates a product. This significantly enhances the product output, allowing more products to be made faster. This is great for large products and results in quicker delivery times.

RAPID TOOLING

Rapid tooling incorporates rapid prototype plastic injection molding with standard tooling procedures to create prototypes and other molds at a faster rate. This decreases costs and allows for quicker manufacturing.

INSERT MOLDS

Insert molds include different types of materials, such as metals and plastics. By combining these materials, the products are overall more durable. This is especially helpful in industries such as medical and electronics, which have small parts that require the most reliability and design flexibility.

GAS-ASSISTED MOLDS

Gas-assisted molds are used to develop large plastic components with more complex designs. This option offers some of the most design flexibility in injection molding.

THIN WALL MOLDS

Thin wall molds are used to mass-produce tiny plastic components. This is especially useful in industries such as automotive and medical, which require small, light parts and quick manufacturing. Thin wall molds have a lower cost per part and quicker delivery times than many other options.

HOT RUNNER MOLDS

Hot runner molds are injected in cavities with molten plastic. The molds in these cavities imitate the shapes of the parts in production, quickly bringing each product through the development process. This results in a lower cost, shorter cycle time, and more design options.

HOW PRECISION GROUP STACKS UP

Precision Group is an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of injection-molded plastics and tooling. In order to offer cost-effective injection molding, Precision Group offers Master Unit Die and Round Mate quick-change mold frame systems. These systems achieve lower tooling costs with the benefit of quick-to-market manufacturing.

We also offer mold repair. That includes mold transportation to and from the customer, in-house mold repair, on-site mold repair, and preventative maintenance. No matter the size or complexity of the product, we can help.

At Precision Group, we always strive to be on the cutting edge of technology and deliverability.

Latest Progress on Monterrey Shop

In our last update, we shared that Precision Group is building a new shop to expand our operations into Monterrey, Mexico. This new shop will be fully equipped with the latest technology to service our customers’ mold building, maintenance, and repair needs to meet the growing demand for those services in Mexico. Last week, we visited the construction site to check out the progress on this new operation, and we are excited to share some more photos to give you a preview of what’s to come! This new shop will operate under the name Prodmash Group International and is scheduled to open in early 2021. Stay tuned for more updates on our progress, and for a grand opening date which we will announce soon.

If you are interested in becoming one of our first customers at the new Monterrey shop, please contact us.

Turning the Tide

Not too long ago, America proudly led the world in manufacturing. What the heck happened? Decades of outsourcing by short-sighted corporations has stripped America of our manufacturing independence, leaving us vulnerable in the era of COVID-19. Only now, faced with a broken system where we cannot obtain medical supplies to fight the virus, have these corporate decision-makers learned what many of us have known all along: that America must be ready and able to produce crucial products “in-house” within our borders at a moment’s notice.

America has been vulnerable for many years, relying on a false sense of security that a global crisis would not disrupt our international supply chains. If there is one silver lining of the still-unfolding pandemic, it is that our complacence has been shattered, and our country is responding with exactly the hard work and perseverance needed to emerge stronger on the other side. Working together, people and private industry in this country have already started to turn the tide, building 100,000 ventilators in 100 days, compared to 40,000 in the eight years prior to the pandemic.

We are listening to your concerns, and we know you agree: we must bring American manufacturing back home again and restore our industrial independence. For many corporations, this transition will be difficult — requiring a different mindset, a more focused vision, hard work, and determination. At Precision Group, we’ve already spent 35 years building a foundation for navigating this new world. We are a successful, fully-American manufacturing operation employing skilled American workers, and we’ve always believed that is the best way to operate.

Now, because we have kept our operations in America, and developed a strong technological core, we are ready and able to ramp up production of medical supplies like oxygen mask components, and lead the charge to make America competitive in manufacturing once more.

Here are some of the medical devices and components we are proud to manufacture in America:

3 Reasons Why Medical Device Trends Matter

Precision Group is an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of both injection-molded plastics and tooling across various industries. We have been around for 30+ years, manufacturing molds and tools for non-invasive medical devices and surgical instruments, among other products.

With medical device manufacturing revenue expecting to rise three percent every year through 2023, we feel it’s important to look at the trends. These innovations will be discussed in May at NPE2018, an event focused on next-generation plastics.

We’ll be attending NPE2018 specifically looking at medical device trends in the areas of new materials, additives, and sustainability.

Now, why are these trends important?

REASON #1: ENHANCE CAPABILITIES

Using the right materials and additives increases the strength, flexibility, and customization options for medical devices and surgical instruments. This means greater capabilities, higher accuracy, and increased patient comfort. What more can you ask for?

REASON #2: IMPROVE PROCESSES

The right materials can improve your medical device’s performance and decrease the production time, getting it in your hands faster so you can get a feel for the size and how it works. Before the medical device launches, you’ll also be able to make changes to the design easier since certain additives offer greater prototype options. Once your product is approved, it can hit the market early.

REASON #3: MINIMIZE WASTE AND LOWER PRODUCTION COSTS

Sustainable non-invasive medical devices and surgical instruments are more durable. This means higher product lifecycles and fewer products in landfills. By pursuing sustainability, you can also help the environment, reduce production costs, and minimize waste. One of the major sustainability trends is biodegradable bioplastics, which a surgeon may find useful because the product will dissolve eventually without requiring surgery to remove.

At Precision Group, we always strive to be on the cutting edge of technology and deliverability.

What Can Manufacturing Automation Do For You?

Precision Group is equipped with the most advanced technology in the tool and die industry today. We pride ourselves on staying on top of the latest trends in manufacturing so that we can deliver higher quality products and exceptional service to our customers.

One of the ways manufacturing customers can benefit is through automation. Manufacturing automation is the ability for technology to complete processes without your assistance.

While automation offers obvious benefits such as reduced labor costs for manufacturers, we are here to talk about what it offers to YOU as a customer.

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION CREATES MORE RELIABLE PRODUCTS.

Automation reduces the chance of human error. This means your molding and tooling products will be much more reliable. The process is also repeatable with fewer repairs needed along the way. This saves us both time and money, helping us focus on what matters most: creating a quality product that you can use. With increased precision, your product will last longer and perform better for your company.

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION GETS MORE PRODUCTS TO YOU FASTER.

Due to automation, product output increases significantly. Because you don’t need actual workers to complete the tasks that manufacturing automation takes care of, high volume production is possible. This means that you will get more products at a faster rate, so you can put them to use.

MANUFACTURING AUTOMATION OFFERS MORE CONTROL AND PRODUCT CONSISTENCY.

Manufacturing automation makes corrections easier and faster than ever before. It also ensures products are consistent so you always know what to expect. If you’d like to make changes, automation makes it simple and ensures you don’t lose any time in the revision process. That means that whether you’re creating one product or mass-producing products, the finished results will be consistent across the board.

At Precision Group, we always strive to be on the cutting edge of technology and deliverability.

3 Injection Molding Myths You Probably Still Believe

Injection molding is a manufacturing process of shaping plastics by injecting heated materials into molds. Specific to our San Antonio facility, Precision Group offers the full-service manufacturing of molded plastic components for a wide range of industries.

As with any industry, manufacturing is not immune to certain misconceptions. The most common reason people believe myths about the manufacturing industry is that companies have different resources and capabilities.

We’re here to debunk some of the most common injection molding myths, so you can rest assured that injection molding is a good way to go for your next product.

Let’s get started.

MYTH #1: QUALITY PROTOTYPES AREN’T AVAILABLE WITH INJECTION MOLDING.

People tend to think that prototypes aren’t possible with injection molding because of the cost and time associated with creating them. However, injection molding can produce quality prototypes at a much faster rate than other molding options. These prototypes also more accurately represent the finished product. Not only can you get a feel for how it will look, you can usually make changes to the design without drastically increasing the cost or production timeline. Precision Group even offers prototype aluminum molds.

MYTH #2: SHORT PRODUCTION ISN’T POSSIBLE WITH INJECTION MOLDING.

Injection molding works for both short and long production processes, from creating prototypes to mass-producing products. It is possible to manufacture more detailed devices and still have them done quickly, too. It doesn’t have to be expensive, either. In order to offer cost-effective injection molding, Precision Group offers Master Unit Die and Round Mate quick-change mold frame systems. These systems achieve lower tooling costs with the benefit of quick-to-market manufacturing.

MYTH #3: INJECTION MOLDING IS LIMITED TO CERTAIN MATERIALS.

Due to how injection molding works, you’d think that only certain materials are compatible. However, injection molding is flexible and can utilize many materials such as ABS and polypropylene. With injection molding, you can even combine materials to create custom results. The great thing about this is that it can also eliminate waste since excess material can be reused—contributing to the ultimate mission of sustainability.

At Precision Group, we always strive to be on the cutting edge of technology and deliverability. Check out our website at www.precision-group.com.

Creating Next-Generation Medical Devices And Instruments

At Precision Group, we are constantly meeting industry needs, supporting the automotive, aviation, medical, computer, electronic, oil & gas, aerospace, and consumer goods industries. On a daily basis, our team delivers molding and tooling solutions using high-tech software, equipment, and critical thinking.

In recent years, we have had the privilege of playing an important role in creating the components and parts for next-generation medical devices and instruments. Often when companies come to us for help they are under tight deadlines for product completion and are needing assistance with finding the right tooling solution to make their products work. Our clients count on us to provide sophisticated design, precision tooling, one-of-a-kind component creation, and rapid injection molding production.

Advanced Pharmacy, Alcon Surgical Inc., and Acelity are just a few of the companies we support. Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI), a division of Acelity, came to us in January of 2017 with a unique challenge in the development of one of their more complex wound therapy Vacuum Assisted Closure (V.A.C) products – the V.A.C. Rx4™.

Our client was given the task, by the military, to design and develop a prototype of a multichannel negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) device that would enable the treatment of up to four wounds on a soldier. The objective was to reduce the size and weight of the device, make it portable, compatible with other KCI disposable wound canisters, and include four independently controlled NPWT channels.

Before the Rx4 even arrived at Precision Group, several years of design, testing, and user need considerations had already been dedicated to the advanced, wound treating device.

On our customer’s side, the original scope of their project was to include a four-channel device with 300-cc canisters, simple interfaces, and no display screens. After Acelity received feedback from future users, the design changed to include a more intricate assembly that would provide 500-cc (or 1000-cc) canisters and full-color display screens.

Precision Group’s Vice President of Operations, Domingo Auces, admits this project put his team to the test. He said, “The biggest challenge was that our customer needed a water-tight seal inside a unit that contained a lot of electronics and it was made of two different types of materials. We were working with a hard plastic and a softer, more elastic plastic within the same device. To manufacture something that is made of different polymers, is not an easy task.”

Acelity brought us a pre-production prototype that had already been developed in partnership with the US Air Force Air Mobility Command and Air Combat Command. Our job was to make it functional and reproducible. We had to find a way to successfully produce and assemble the high-tech wound treatment device which included three different types of printed wiring assemblies located in separate places inside the casing. Also, the power supply location, LCD display, battery pack placement, and the front membrane panels had to be considered when planning for final assembly.

Auces emphasized, “In the end, it was determined the Rx4™ would be produced in multiple pieces involving separate molding process runs. We had to design and build the tooling required to combine both processes in injection molding – not many companies have that expertise. Our approach to solve the problem was unorthodox and that’s what allowed us to get the job done.”

The V.A.C. Rx4™ is designed to be used in the battlefield, often administered to soldiers while in motion on a fixed-wing or rotary-winged aircraft in route to definitive care. These scenarios leave zero margin for error. There can be no leaks within this device as lives are at stake. This limb saving unit, used in trauma conditions, had to be durable, and easily grabbed from the front or the side, so it could be quickly thrown onto a plane or Humvee at a moment’s notice.

The Precision Group team worked diligently for 11 and a half months to bring the multichannel device over the finish line with final adjustments and improvements that allowed the mass production of a unit that would function reliably and consistently in moments of critical need.

Auces said clear and constant communication was the key to the success of this high-profile project. “There was a lot of collaboration between our tooling manufacturing and the engineering teams from both Precision and Acelity, as well as their research and development people. The value we bring is concurrent engineering which is the continual refinement of the products we manufacture. We are constantly adapting quickly and creatively until we get to the final solution.”

There is a growing trend among medical device companies requesting design and product improvements in numerous areas of medicine. We’re here to help design and build injection molds for the production of plastic components, help solve unique industry tooling problems, or assist with cutting costs and time to delivery. With the right design and resins many of the hurdles associated with dimensional accuracy, flatness, surface finish, and mold life can be resolved.

Today, the V.A.C. Rx4™ is saving lives and limbs in conflict situations for the military, and in the future, it will surely be used in civilian environments in medical centers and hospitals throughout the country. This advanced device can help treat multiple wounds on one person or can help upward of 4 patients at a time. Finding a way to successfully manufacture the Rx4 was truly a cause worth fighting for!