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As part of its effort to continue serving customers in what the company's CEO calls a holistic manner, SMC Ltd. (Somerset, WI) has added medical micromolding capabilities. CEO Chetan Patel says the micromolding service is another example of SMC's commitment to developing technologies that meet customers' needs.

“As OEMs reduce their supply base, they are looking for fewer suppliers with more capabilities,” Patel says. “The addition of micromolding allows us to serve a broader range of needs—not only in component size but in component technology as well.”
Segments of the device industry that can benefit from SMC's micromolding services include cardiovascular, neurological, orthopedics, and microfludics companies. Although SMC has offered components with microsized features in the past, the company now has the ability to do true micromolding under a validated process.
“SMC introduced its medical micromolding capabilities after seeing a need for micromolded components with higher material yields given the cost of resin associated with many medical microparts,” says Patel. “Our process delivers yields of at least 10,000 parts or shots per pound of material. Ideal programs are those with part sizes starting at 0.003 cu in. and smaller, or those components needing high material utilization.” Parts generally weigh 0.045 g or less.
The global contract manufacturer provides services from development through production, including R&D and a lab environment that helps reduce risk. It produces complex part geometries using a range of materials including PEEK, Ultem, bioresorbable materials, and other engineered resins. The company has U.S. locations in California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Copyright ©2009 Medical Device & Diagnostic Industry