White Papers

Medical device companies have long benefited from the global outsourcing of labor and manufacturing and are now expanding the role of global outsourcing to include product design and development. However, many of the benefits of moving labor and manufacturing could be short term and may be detrimental to the long-term growth of a company. One alternative that will reduce costs and still retain sustaining competitive advantages is to find or develop new manufacturing technologies. Advances in micro molding technology and polymer science now allow a range of cost-effective alternatives for components and subassemblies that are miniature, complex, and require high-precision tolerances. Utilizing micro molding for medical products used in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) can permit companies to improve their manufacturing processes and not jeopardize sustaining competitive advantages. These changes can reduce the number of components, overall size, assembly complexity, and time required to assemble the device under a microscope. This paper attempts to challenge the basic principles of outsourcing and to bring a different outlook on this highly publicized and challenging subject. Read the full article.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been widely adopted for certain surgical procedures but not those that are complex. Manufacturers are seeking to design new devices that will allow open surgeries to be converted to minimally invasive procedures. These devices are highly complex, yet they need to be cost effective in low to moderate production volumes. A majority of device components are machined from stainless steel, ceramic, plastic, or glass and require secondary operations such as gluing, welding, or surface coating to assemble the device. These secondary operations place limitations on the size, complexity, and the material selection of MIS devices. Advances in micro molding technology and material science now make possible a range of cost-effective alternatives for components that are miniature, complex, and require high-precision tolerances. Micro molding technology can be utilized for both new and existing MIS devices, providing a solution to common hurdles now present in designing and manufacturing them. Micro molding technology will allow device designers and manufacturers the catalyst to innovate and create breakthrough products. Read the full article.

Historically, machining has been the only feasible manufacturing alternative for manufacturers sourcing low–to–moderate quantities of microcomponents. Molders, because of the modest volumes or the complexity of the components, have often shunned these manufacturers. However, with advances in technology, micromolding can now offer a range of cost–effective alternatives for components that are miniature, complex and require high–precision tolerances. Machining places limitations on the material selection process where high–cost ceramics or engineered metallic materials are commonly used. As a result, sourcing low–to–moderate volume microcomponents has been a costly challenge for manufacturers. Read the full article.