Medical diagnostic equipment features a variety of diagnostic tools and equipment for accurate testing, tracking, measurements, and evaluations. These include ophthalmoscopes, electrocardiographs, thermometers, digital sphygmomanometers, dopplers, ultrasonography, echocardiography, and other instruments used by clinicians to screen and accurately assess a patient’s health.
These devices are commonly used in settings such as homes, clinics, and hospitals, as well as hospices. In addition to diagnosing diseases, they can track therapies and help with the management of common and long-term illnesses.
Continuous advancement of medical technologies is crucial in enhancing the accuracy of diagnosis. Today, medical equipment manufacturers and designers are discovering new ways to improve equipment performance by incorporating medical-grade engineering thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), which are valued for their versatility, durability, and safety.
Kraiburg TPE, a global manufacturer of custom thermoplastic elastomers, makes custom-engineered TPE compounds to meet the most stringent development requirements in the diagnostic medical equipment industry. Kraiburg TPE’s compounds fulfill a wide range of end-use requirements for every specific application, the company said in a press release.
Safe, quality material
Thermolast H TPE series compounds from Kraiburg TPE are free of animal ingredients, PVC, silicone, and latex. It conforms to numerous international standards, as well as biocompatibility testing such as ISO 10993-5 and GB/T 16886.5. It has material advantages such as good compression set, sealing capabilities, good surface haptics, minimal friction, and stabilizability using an autoclave at 121°C and EtO, making it an excellent choice for medical device applications. Thermolast is available in a translucent form, and depending on project requirements, in-house pre-coloring is also an option.
Design flexibility with excellent haptics
When processed by multi-component injection molding and extrusion, the Thermolast H HC/AP series provides good bonding with polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) resins, allowing for versatility in product designs. Additionally, the HC/AP series offers exceptional haptics with a soft touch surface feel. These are ideal for applications such as soft touch handles and buttons, seals, and closures of many types of medical diagnostic equipment.
Sustainability successes
Besides materials for medical diagnostic equipment applications, Kraiburg TPE’s recent sustainability innovations include a specially developed material solution for automotive, consumer, and industrial applications comprising post-consumer recycled and post-industrial recycled content.
