By Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief
 
Molding is prevalent throughout medtech manufacturing as many devices rely on the process for components, as well as to fabricate the packaging used to keep those devices protected. However, not all molding methods are equally understood. As such, it’s important to work with experts who can offer guidance on those technologies that aren’t as ubiquitous to design engineers.
 
Insert molding may be one such process for many medical device manufacturers. It’s not as common as injection molding, but it still provides significant advantages to device makers who have a need for it. Having a supply partner provide recommendations on part design, material selection, and potential challenges could be the difference between success and failure.
 
Fortunately, Florian Beck, General Manager, Dartmouth, at Tegra Medical, has offered his time to help clarify insert molding, what it is, when it’s used, and the benefits it provides. In the following Q&A, Beck responds to questions about material selection, most common applications, cost savings, getting to market faster, and more.
 
Sean Fenske: What is insert molding?
 
Florian Beck: Insert molding is a manufacturing process where a part (the insert) is placed into a mold, and molten plastic is injected around it to form a single integrated component. The insert is typically metal but can be made of other materials like plastic, ceramics, or electronic components. Tegra Medical uses insert molding to create complex components with a strong bond between the metal and plastic parts, enhancing durability and functionality.
 
Fenske: Where is insert molding commonly used for medical device manufacturing applications?
 
Beck: A major advantage of this technology is its wide range of applications. At Tegra Medical, insert molding is particularly valuable in combining our expertise in precision metal processing technologies with advanced molding techniques to produce intricate medical devices.
 
These medical devices we manufacture for our clients require high precision, cleanliness, and strict adherence to regulatory standards, which is why we employ insert molding in ISO-certified cleanroom environments. This process supports the production of components used in various applications, such as needles for drug delivery systems, minimally invasive surgery tools, implantable devices, and other important life-saving devices.
 
Fenske: Are there limitations on what types of plastics or metals can be used for insert molding?
 
Beck: There are constraints regarding the plastics and metals for insert molding applications in medical device production due to factors like material compatibility and processing needs. In addition, adherence to regulatory guidelines must be maintained as these play a significant role in determining the selection of materials.
 
Fenske: How does the use of insert molding have the potential to decrease costs for medical device manufacturers?
 
Beck: The cost-saving potential is often underestimated. The obvious cost savings are achieved by reducing the number of assembly steps like gluing or welding.
 
In addition, the component geometries can often be simplified, making the individual parts lower priced. At Tegra Medical, we also look at the entire process chain in order to achieve cost savings for our customers. As a result, additional cost savings can be achieved with insert molded components through automation, lower packaging costs, or a shortened supply chain.
 
Fenske: What about time to market? How does insert molding potentially offer benefits here?
 
Beck: If the component design is tailored to the process right from the beginning, time to market can be significantly reduced. As a true end-to-end manufacturing partner, Tegra Medical supports customers from the early-stage design concepts to product launch. Our Value Engineering approach ensures the product design is tailored to the insert molding manufacturing processes. Our solutions reduce time spent on assembly and quality checks and simplify the supply chain, resulting in a rapid and effective product launch.
 
Fenske: What considerations are often overlooked by designers specifying insert molding (or completely foreign to them altogether)?
 
Beck: Product designers must cover a broad field of material knowledge and manufacturing processes. They may not know all the manufacturing processes and their potential in detail. That’s exactly what our engineers at Tegra Medical are here to help with. We optimize the component design, select the best-suited materials, and provide the necessary know-how to find high-quality, reliable, and cost-effective solutions.
 
Fenske: Do you have any additional comments you’d like to share based on any of the topics we discussed or something you’d like to tell medical device manufacturers?
 
Beck: Products in the medical device industry are steadily becoming smaller and more complex. In addition to insert molding, this requires many other core technologies we use at Tegra Medical. As an experienced and vertically integrated manufacturing partner, we can master these challenges together with our customers, develop solutions, and successfully bring their medical devices to life.
 
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