Converting metal parts to pressure formed protects against pathogens

How Profile created high performance parts for a cutting-edge medical device

Profile Plastics combined medical thermoforming with value-added services      

A medical contract manufacturer needed to produce a hand-rinsing device to help prevent the spread of pathogens. The manufacturer’s customer, a technology company that specializes in public health sanitation, designed the device with specific appearance requirements in mind. Profile Plastics pressure-formed these parts and several others while providing value-added services that saved time and money.

Challenge: What’s the best way to get attractive thermoformed parts for a new product?

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the technology company asked Profile’s customer for help with designing and manufacturing a revolutionary hand-rinsing device. This device uses ozonated water, a fast-acting and natural way to kill a wide variety of pathogens, including the novel coronavirus.

Profile’s customer needed to overcome challenges that are inherent to new projects. Some were specific to three parts of the project with specific aesthetic requirements.

• Reducing risk and producing new plastic parts efficiently. Some thermoforming projects have a built-in comfort level because there’s a pre-existing plan to improve upon. That wasn’t the case here because the project was for a brand-new product.
• Meeting tough material specifications. The nature of this application meant that material selection had to account for specifications. These included color control, chemical resistance, and a challenging UL rating.
• Creating a custom color based on client preferences. The designer of the hand-rinsing device wanted to use a semi-translucent, turquoise-like color that was both attractive and suggestive of health and safety.
• Simplifying the supply chain. For a contract manufacturer like Profile’s client, simplifying the supply chain can save time and money. How could a thermoformer help?

Based on the success of its past projects with Profile, the medical manufacturer asked for both thermoforming services and related support.

Solution: A local partner with a solid approach to everything

The approach that Profile suggested and then implemented included the following.

• Crucial DFM involvement early. Profile’s customer asked for design for manufacturing (DFM) assistance during the project’s early stages. This helped ensure that details from the computer-aided design (CAD) file could be achieved in the thermoformed parts.
• Gauge selection was carried out efficiently. There’s a certain amount of unpredictability in how much a given gauge of material will stretch to form a part. Yet Profile handled this well because of many years of thermoforming experience.
• Design expertise for crucial public-facing parts. Three parts needed a high level of finish because users engage the device by passing their hands through an opening in the front panel. Along with the form, Profile accounted for fit and function.
• Sub-assembly support like adding silicone gaskets to parts and coordinating graphics. These additional capabilities simplified the supply chain for Profile’s customer and improved its efficiency. The customer especially liked how its parts were ready right out of the box.
• A rigorous process to find the best material options. The project required plastics with a high degree of chemical resistance, specifically to gaseous and aqueous ozone, and a UL rating of UL 94 V-0. Profile identified materials that met these requirements but were still within budget.

Project expansion moves metal to thermoforming

The manufacturer also asked Profile how thermoforming could replace the stainless-steel sink. The engineering team recommended a PVC/Acrylic blend material in custom metallic colors. Lightweight and cost-effective, this impact-resistant thermoplastic retains its molded-in color.

Other advantages include increased safety. The plastic is less likely to break and create sharp edges. Eliminating sharp edges on the metal sink reduced the risk of hand injuries and contamination.

Chemical resistance was key for this design change to succeed. The KYDEX® T brand PVC/Acrylic material easily handles the gaseous and aqueous ozone used to prevent the spread of pathogens. It’s also inherently corrosion resistant.

While ozone is non-flammable, it’s also a powerful oxidizer that can accelerate the combustion of other materials. Consequently, the recommended thermoplastic featured a UL 94 V-0 flame rating.

Learn more about moving from metal to thermoformed parts.

Results: Costs controlled, speed-to-market goals met, and expanded services for more value

The medical contract manufacturer accomplished the following with support from Profile Plastics.

• Met speed-to-market goals. The customer benefitted from Profile’s convenient location and ability to participate in productive in-person meetings.
• Replaced stainless steel with thermoplastic for continued improvements. The scope of the project expanded to include the device’s base and sink basin. These thermoformed parts weighed less, cost less, and made for easier assembly. They also performed better than the rigid stainless steel that was replaced.
• Controlled costs. Metals tend to be more expensive than plastics, so the additional parts that Profile provided helped to contain costs.
• Material choices ensured optimum performance. With material selection help from Profile, the medical contract manufacturer chose custom color Crylex™ extruded acrylic for the upper front and side covers and custom mold-in color Kydex® TPVC/Acrylic for the sink basin and base cover.

A dependable partner for future challenges

Initially, the scope was limited to producing three attractive cover parts. With the base and sink basin, the project evolved with additional opportunities for increased efficiencies and design improvements. That’s a testament to a successful project and shows how the right thermoformer becomes a valued partner.