What are mass-produced pharmaceutical products by injection molds in China?
- Solid Oral Dosage Forms (SOD)
- Plastic Medical Device Parts
- Drug-Eluting Devices (DED)
- Metal Injection Molding
Injection molds in China can mass produce pharmaceutical products in an incredibly short amount of time. Mass production is a key factor in the manufacturing of medical tools as these products can be used up easily in the fast paced environment of the medical world.
Injection molding also has the ability to shape varying materials into specially designed and detailed parts. These are beneficial in the medical industry as each piece of equipment is designed to be used in a specific way, all while preventing any form of cross-contamination.
Read on to learn more about mass-produced pharmaceutical products by injection molds in China!
Solid Oral Dosage Forms (SOD)
Solid Oral Dosage Forms (SOD) are capsules and tablets that house either powdered or liquid medicine. The exterior shell that holds the medicine inside is designed to be safe to consume by patients. They are also used by a large amount of people all over the world. Injection molding is utilized to make SODs in order to constantly produce large batches to meet the demands of pharmaceutical companies.
In terms of soft gelatin capsules, its exterior must be molded with the utmost care. Injection molding machines have the capability to carefully create multiple gelatin capsules all at once.This is done by coating a shaped metal pin with a gelatin solution and letting it harden. Then, a machine specially fills the capsule up with a specific formula.
Plastic Medical Device Parts
Another material that uses this methodology is plastic injection molding. A plastic molding company can make a number of different kinds of plastic parts for multiple medical tools. They manufacture plastic seals, syringes, caps, valves, and implants. Plastic tools such as syringes need to be made of the right materials in order to prevent any sort of bacteria or external elements from entering and harming the medicine that passes through it. Sterility is key in the medical industry at all times.
Plastic injection molding has the capability to customize any kind of product. The material is prepared before going into the injection molding machine by being melted into pellets. These pellets are fed into an injection molder to make the medical device part. These plastic medical device parts need a special mixture of polymers with additives such as colorants, fillers, antioxidants, and plasticizers.
Drug-Eluting Devices (DED)
Drug-Eluting Devices are implanted into certain parts of the body in order to release bio active agents into a patient’s blood vessels. These are specially shaped by a plastic molding company to hold certain kinds of medication. The base is made of a metallic stent and is coated with a polymer that holds the drug that will be released into the bloodstream. These can be placed within arteries in order to prevent any obstructions and constricting happening within it.
Another kind of drug-eluting device created through injection molding are Intravaginal Rings (IVR). These are made of silicone and are made specifically through Reaction Injection Molding (RIM). IVR Rings are used to help with hormone replacement therapy, contraception, and vaginal atrophy. The release of the medicine is controlled by a drug-free silicone sheath that regulates its rate of release. The medicine is held within a drug-loaded silicone core. The sheath is placed over the core in another injection molding process, making the creation of IVRs quite complex.
Metal Injection Molding
Besides plastic injection molding, there is also metal injection molding. Metals are ideal for medical tools that are not of single use. These tools need to be durable enough to handle constant use and need to be easily sterilized. The preferred kind of metal for these tools is stainless steel, as it is safe enough to enter the human body without contaminating it with any of its metallic properties. In a normal surgery room, this can be seen in scalpels, bipolar forceps, and biopsy forceps.
Metal injection molding can also help create tools specifically for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). This is one of the newer uses for the machine, as this kind of surgery is still evolving more and more every year. Minimally Invasive Surgery is a procedure done through tiny incisions, unlike normal kinds of surgery that need to make long and deep cuts across the body. A tiny camera is inserted through the small incision and helps guide the specially made tools through it. Manufacturers are trying to help increase the freedom of movement surgeons have during these procedures by using injection molding to make specialty parts. Injection molding is also more cost-effective compared to other molding processes.
Key Takeaway
Injection molds in China are utilized due to its ability to manufacture sterile products quickly and in big batches. These are needed in the fast paced medical industry as these products can be easily used up. Medical tools are also used for specific reasons, and must work to the best of their ability in order to better serve the patient it will be used on.
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