Many industries have benefitted from the advancements in plastic manufacturing, but perhaps none as much as the medical industry. It has allowed for safer working conditions for both patients and medical professionals and has increased the scope of the services that medical facilities are able to offer. Read on to learn more about how much that medical care depends on plastic.
Injection Molding and Medical Devices
Plastics have completely changed the game in the medical industry. Since plastic is lightweight yet sturdy, as well as cost-effective and relatively quick to manufacture, it has become the go-to material in most healthcare settings. It is widely used as a medical tool, even with surgical tools, as an alternative to stainless steel. It’s used for much more than that, however. Since plastic is such a versatile material, medical injection molding is used for creating medical devices like parts for pacemakers and valves. It’s also used to create prosthetics. As surgical techniques continue to grow, surely so will the uses for plastics.
Keeping It Clean
One of the major reasons that the medical industry has turned to plastics is, in fact, health-related. Although you wouldn’t think it, plastic actually creates a more sterile, safe working environment for both patients and medical professionals. The widespread production of plastic medical tools has provided the industry with a disposable option. Stainless steel tools have to be washed after each use, which is time consuming and not practical in many parts of the world. Even more, improper washing and the spread of germs could take place. Plastic offers a cheap way to use and then dispose of tools, preventing the spread of disease. Since medical injection molding is usually pretty cheap, this is an economical choice as well.
Government Compliance
The medical industry is highly regulated, for good reason. Sanitation cannot be overstressed. Many medical professionals have turned to plastics to easily remain in compliance with FDA regulations. Since the FDA closely monitors the production of medical injection molding products, medical professionals can rest assured that they are using safe, sterile products – and many professionals have made the switch.
