Plastic molding and assembly for medical and lab products requires stringent protocols from the OEM and its contract manufacturing partner to create high-quality, reliable products.
This is much more easily achieved when supplier handoffs are largely reduced. Triad Plastic Technologies highlights more.
The Risk of Handoffs
Plastic molding and assembly for medical and lab products that feature multiple handoffs are at risk of delays, damage, mixed lots, documentation gaps, diluted accountability, and inconsistent quality management systems.
When the focus is on medical and lab products, those risks are taken to new heights given the importance of the components’ applications. When partnering with a turnkey injection molder, OEMs face reduce risk of supplier handoffs and improved coordination as the contracted manufacturer can handle and support all facets of the injection molding program.
Capabilities to Consolidate
| Program Stage | Handoff to Avoid | Integrated Alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Design & DFM Review | Separate industrial designer, molder, and assembler feedback loops | One engineering team reviews all design specs |
| Tooling | Toolmaker, molder, and validation vendor working independently | Tool design and build tied directly to molding process, development, and validation |
| Molding | Molder ships loose parts to a secondary processor | In-house value-added operations/secondary ops |
| Assembly | Multiple contract assemblers for subassemblies | Consolidate assembly operations into one supplier and where applicable, factor assembly into design |
| Quality & release | Separate inspection test and documentation owners | Perform all quality measures with molding and assembly records |
| Packaging & distribution | Molder, packager, sterilizer, and logistics providers | Cleanroom and controlled packaging |
Best Fit Applications and Other Considerations
Plastic molding and assembly for medical and lab products has best fit applications that are worth noting ahead of time for both OEMs and contract manufacturers. When products are closely tied to function, cleanliness, or regulated assembly, they are a strong match.
Diagnostic and laboratory fluid-handling components, cartridges, manifolds, and medical tubing assemblies serve as a strong example. Any medical device housing, console subassemblies, airway components, masks, or even trach tubes.
All of these components serve as best fits for injection molding and assembly operations where reducing supplier handoffs enhances the part.
What to Look for in a Manufacturing Partner
Finding the right manufacturer matters as well. The right manufacturer should be able to handle multiple aspects of an injection molding program that keeps you, the customer, from having to add on even more suppliers to your program.
When qualifying a production partner, consider some of these questions to ask:
- Can the supplier perform each step of the manufacturing process from DFM to packaging under one roof?
- What are their quality management systems like and what certifications do they hold?
- Do they offer cleanroom molding capabilities?
- What secondary operations are offered and can they be integrated?
- How are engineering changes handled?
- Can the given supplier support prototype to production continuity?
Partner with Triad Plastic Technologies for your Plastic Molding and Assembly for Medical and Lab Products
Triad Plastic Technologies has served as the custom injection molding manufacturer that OEMs, supplier programs, and other customer bases have trusted since 1988. Located in Reno, Nevada, we proudly serve customers scattered across the entire United States.
Manufacturing the plastic molding and assembly for medical and lab products is a strong point of ours and it has been for decades. At Triad, we offer clean room molding capabilities and recently earned our ISO 13485 certification – a beacon for manufacturing in the medical industry.
We support OEMs from prototyping through production with robust engineering and design teams, while working hard to ensure manufacturing runs smoothly.
Contact our team today and partner with Triad Plastic Technologies for your plastic molding assembly for medical lab products.