Originally Published MPMN March 2002

SPOTLIGHT

Spotlight on Pressure Sensitives and Adhesives

Custom adhesive products

Custom-designed medical-grade adhesive products are supplied by a company with manufacturing capabilities that include coating, slitting, and corona treatment of up to 60-in. widths. Knife-over-roll and gravure processes enable customization. The company offers services from process scale-up and development, to production manufacturing. DermaMed Coatings Co., 381 Geneva Ave., Tallmadge, OH 44278.

Double-coated adhesive

A high-performance medical-grade adhesive provides maximum versatility for such applications as surgical drapes, medical device assembly, and mounting patient-monitor devices to the skin. DC 500 is a double-coated, clear, low-density 3-mil polyethylene film with 1.5 mil of nonsensitizing medical-grade adhesive on each side. The material is supplied with an 80-lb bleached kraft liner, which is treated with silicone on both sides for differential release properties. The product has been tested in accordance with ISO 10993 for skin-contact use and is considered noncytotoxic, nonirritating, and nonsensitizing. Tyco Adhesives, 1400 Providence Hwy., Norwood, MA 02062.

Epoxy adhesive system

A two-component epoxy adhesive system features chemical and temperature resistance. The EP62-1Med can withstand repeated cycles of steam, EtO, radiation, and chemical sterilization. The material cures at moderately elevated temperatures (150°–200°F) and offers a long working life at room temperatures. It contains no solvents or volatiles and has a 100 to 10 mix ratio by weight. Other features include excellent bond strength to metals, glass, ceramics, wood, and most plastics; durability; service up to 400°F; and shrinkage upon cure of less than 0.06%. Master Bond Inc., 154 Hobart St., Hackensack, NJ 07601-3922.

Cohesive tapes

Cohesive tapes enable the user to seal coiled tubing sets without the tape sticking to the product. The products leave no residue and can be sterilized using EtO, gamma irradiation, or steam methods. They are available in white and natural colors, and can be custom printed. Paper bands, which are strips of paper that have cohesive material coated on each end, are also offered. The strips are formed into sleeves by touching the cohesive ends together. Such sleeves can be used to encircle tubing sets or other medical devices that need to be contained for packaging. S-Y-M Products Company, LLC, P.O. Box 112160, Stamford, CT 06911.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive

An acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive meets the requirements for use on diagnostic test strips and lateral-flow devices. The GL-187 adhesive can be applied to white PVC, white polystyrene, and white and clear polyesters. It is compatible with backed or unbacked nitrocellulose materials. G & L Precision Die Cutting, 1766 Junction Ave., San Jose, CA 95112.

Conductive adhesives and potting compounds

Electrically conductive adhesives and potting compounds can be used to form conductive paths in applications in which soldering would be ineffective or impractical. Syon products offer thermal conductivity and can be used to bond or seal electrical components or wiring in applications that require heat dissipation. The low-shrink and nonshrink epoxy and epoxide formulations mix and pour easily, fill voids completely, and cure with minimal air entrapment. Devcon, 30 Endicott St., Danvers, MA 01923.

Converting services

Die-cutting and custom slitting services for pressure-sensitive parts are available in an FDA-registered facility. Medical-grade materials include single-coated foams, transfer adhesives, plastic tapes, polyethylene and polyester films, woven and nonwoven materials, and release liners. Design assistance is provided, as well as prototypes and trial orders. The materials are manufactured in accordance with the ISO 9002 standard. Converters Inc., P.O. Box 910, 1617 Republic Rd., Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006.

Adhesive coatings

Specially formulated hypoallergenic adhesive systems are suitable for allergy-testing devices because of their low irritation levels. Products include medical-grade pressure-sensitive tapes, adhesives suited for conversion into medical devices, coated nonwovens, and films, foams, and fabrics. The company's facility is certified to ISO 9001. Alpharma A/S, Norgesplaster Facility, P.O. Box 85, Vennesla, Norway N-4701.

Low-residue solder paste

A solder paste increases speed and control in production processes by producing consistent deposits that do not require the removal of flux residue. A prepackaged alloy/flux blend, No Clean solder paste is specifically formulated for use with automatic dispensing equipment. The material is tacky and stays in place, even on irregular surfaces and part geometries. The solder can be applied to one part at a time or preapplied to an entire batch of parts and then reflowed with in-line or batch heating processes. EFD Inc., 14 Blackstone Valley Pl., Lincoln, RI 02865.

Adhesive-based components

Standard or custom turnkey designs of pressure-sensitive adhesive–based medical device components are available for such applications as wound care, ostomy, transdermal drug delivery, surgical drapes, and diagnostics. Single-coated, double-coated, and transfer-tape formats are offered. The products include the use of face stocks such as film, foil, woven, nonwoven, and foam materials. In-line die-cutting, sheeting, island placement, adhesive coating, printing, laminating, folding, and slitting services are also offered in a Class 100,000 cleanroom. Avery Dennison Medical, 7100 Lindsay Dr., Mentor, OH 44060.

Copyright ©2002 Medical Product Manufacturing News