Topic: Openair plasma in medical technology, plastics injection moulding, hybrid component of plastic (PC) and metal sleeve (stainless steel), leakproof joint
Gira: Openair Plasma in medical technology
Foto: Gira
Plasma jet during activation of a medical component
When plastics injection moulding is used to make components for medical technology the greatest demands are made on dimensional and visual quality. In a specific case of this application a subassembly composed of several parts is substituted by a hybrid component made of plastic (PC) and a metal sleeve (stainless steel) encapsulated therein.
Since this component conveys blood during a heart operation there must be an absolutely leakproof joint between the two materials. In this case Openair Plasma technology delivered the decisive factor for success. For this purpose the metal sleeve is treated under fully automatic control with plasma immediately prior to insertion.
Only by means of this process has success been achieved against such key variables as shrinkage, minuscule air bubbles and gaps to provide an absolutely leakproof liquid seal. Especially in the case of sterilisation washes, which due to their extremely low viscosity can yield negative test results even with the finest capillaries, it was possible to demonstrate leakproofness. It was also possible to extend by quite some way the previously extremely small process window of the injection moulding process by using the plasma process. In this way it further affords a clear contribution to better economic efficiency.
This together with the personal commitment of the staff looking after us right through to the rapid and uncomplicated provision of test installations round off the services provided by Plasmatreat and confirm us in our decision to work with Openair Plasma technology.
Alfred A. Bulitz
Managing Director
Gira Giersiepen GmbH & Co. KG
