Rubber Molding for Medical Devices

Rubber molding is used to make almost endless types of items such as shoes, football gear, car parts, etc. It is eye-opening how nearly everything we use contains some type of rubber component. Natural rubber can be harvested then processed into usable and versatile rubber; however, natural rubber contains proteins which may cause sensitivity in humans and animals. That’s where synthetic rubber comes in. Synthetic rubber was created by humans to imitate natural rubber; synthetic rubber has the same stretchy qualities as natural rubber, but there are many more different kinds which can be made to confer many different qualities including safety for humans and animals. Some common synthetic rubbers are IR, Silicone, Butyl, Nitrile, and Neoprene.

Rubber Molding

The great thing about rubber is that it can be molded into any shape desired. It can be molded into a part the size of a couple millimeters to fit into the human body or to a part the size of a barrel for large machinery. The flexible nature of rubber is the key to its functionality: tensile strength, energy absorption, durability, and compressive set all lend to rubber’s many uses. With how tough and versatile rubber is, it’s an excellent material for medical use.

Working with Rubber Manufacturers

Rubber mold manufacturers with experience in industrial rubber molding can easily make the transition from industrial products to medical products due to the similar sophistication involved for the two industry’s precision and safety standards. However, the rubber mold manufacturer must be receptive to and capable of understanding the scientific requirements for the medical application. Likewise, the client should be receptive to certain limitations involved in rubber mold manufacturing which may affect their product. Product specifications can be communicated via engineering drawings, and clear communication between the manufacturer and client should be had throughout the process.

A major advantage in a partnership between medical device manufacturers and rubber manufacturers is the large run capability of rubber manufacturers. Hundreds of thousands of pieces of vial stoppers, syringe cups, and other medical equipment and supplies with rubber parts can be produced within just a very short length of time. If you are a medical product manufacturer, you might consider partnering with a rubber supplier to boost your business advantage and provide lower cost healthcare products to your customers.