Traditionally, die cutting was not a sterile process. Now it can be.

Medical Presses

Die cutting has been around for many years and has an esteemed reputation for reliability, repeatability, and efficiency. But what happens when you need to cut sterile parts?

Traditional dies and presses can contaminate products that were previously sterile. These presses are powered through hydraulics, which can cause the press to rust. The hydraulics in the press is an additional contaminant.

In the past, many medical device companies that needed to die cut a part would take a sterile material, die cut it in a nonsterile environment, sterilize it, and finally package it.

One example of this is the manufacture of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices, which are commonly used to treat sleep apnea. These devices are made up of a small machine, a hose that transports air, and a mask to help a patient breathe during the night. This hose is connected by gaskets to ensure air does not leak out from the machine. These gaskets are currently cut with conventional die cutting machines and have to go through numerous sterilization processes to ensure sterility. These processes can cost device companies a considerable amount of money.

There is, however, an alternative: medical die cutting. These gaskets can be cut in a cleanroom setting and packaged in the same room eliminating the extra step of resterilization, but still providing the same quality standards.

The ability to omit the secondary sterilization process is made possible by the use of updated presses, such as the ones manufactured by Medical Presses Inc. (Milwaukee, WI), which are made of high-grade stainless steel and are powered pneumatically rather than hydraulically. This prevents the press from rusting and causing contamination and enables them to be used in cleanroom environments. These presses can be used in all types of high-level cleanrooms and eliminate the need for double sterilization. All parts cut in these presses remain fully sterilized and can even be packaged in the same cleanroom, saving both time and money.

As shown in the video below, cleanroom die cutting can be used to cut various materials such as ID and OD gaskets and filter material in a simple and efficient manner. Many medical industries can be served by this innovative practice.

Any industry that has a need for repeatable cuts in a sterile environment can make use of medical die cutting.