Medical/Dental
Metal components for the medical industry are required to adhere to strict levels of precision. Subject to stern regulatory requirements, medical equipment and device manufacturers cannot afford uncertainties regarding reliability or performance.
To meet these demands, manufacturers in the medical and dental industry often turn to advanced manufacturing metal injection molding (MIM). MIM allows for the productions of intricate and precise metal componnts, ensuring that the strict tolerances required for medical applications are met. The versatility of MIM enables the creation of complex geometries and features, providing medical and dental equipment designers with the flexibility needed to innovate and optimize their products.
Key Advantages of MIM for Medical Devices and Equipment
We work with leading medical and dental manufacturers to deliver components across a range of applications including precision surgical devices, telemedical equipment, diagnostic equipment, and dental equipment. These companies partner with OptiMIM because we provide them with the functional precision they need to deliver unparalleled performance and wear resistance—whether this is for products designed for a single-use or multi-use applications.
For the medical and dental industries, OptiMIM’s value is reflected in our capacity to:
- Expedite your product’s market entry.
- Produce reliable, complex components at scale.
- Ensure a return on your investment throughout the product’s lifecycle.
Unparalleled Medical Manufacturing Experience
Since the metal injection molding process lends itself to successfully manufacturing medical equipment and devices, OptiMIM has a lot of experience across the industry. Some of our application experience includes:
- Surgical clamps
- Orthotic braces
- Handheld surgical rotation limiter
- Disposable surgical devices
- Disposable implant molds
- Knife shaft tools
- Concept devices for surgery and implants
- Knife and scalpel shafts
- Implantable and exterior pumps
- Drug delivery pens
- Oxygen concentrators
See firsthand some of the achievements we’ve made.
Jaw for Surgical Stapler
This component is made from MIM-17-4 stainless steel.
Knee Brace Component
This component is made from MIM-17-4 stainless steel. Secondary operations include pneumatic coining.
Medical Material Selection
The medical industry is vast and constantly evolving. This means that the applications and medical equipment requirements are constantly evolving too. A successful supplier must be able to provide innovative solutions and a wide range of material choices to suit the needs of each individual device.
For medical equipment and devices, MIM 17-4 strikes a good balance between corrosion resistance and strength. For devices that require high strength, 420 stainless steel has proven successful, while 316 stainless steel is a better choice for higher corrosion resistance. However, these are just a few of the options available. We can also develop custom alloys when standard options don’t meet specific performance requirments.
We offer various surface treatments to meet the required biocompatibility or medical grade standards for Class 1 and Class 2 medical devices. These treatments include passivation or electropolishing, Teflon coating, and chrome plating. Additionally, we provide the flexibility for manufacturers to select from traditional ferrous alloys such as stainless steel to specialty alloys like Nitronic 60.
Navigate FDA Regulations for Rapid Market Entry
We are dedicated to providing you with high-quality parts as quickly as possible right from the start. We understand that the FDA validation process is lengthy and rigorous. Transitioning from the prototyping and design stage early on can facilitate a faster approval process for your project.
By getting involved with your MIM supplier early, you can avoid manufacturing roadblocks like prototyping re-designs or secondary operations that could cause delays. Take advantage of our design team’s expertise—for instance, utilizing part consolidation with MIM or prototyping with machined or additive manufacturing MIM materials—to streamline your product’s course to mass production.
High Performance and Precision at Scale
Several manufacturing processes can deliver precision or performance, but often at the cost of scalability. While machining allows you to meet your design requirements and validate medical components, it lacks scalability for mass production over the product’s lifespan.
In contrast, metal injection molding achieves a highly dense, net-shape part that is scalable with lower long-term investment compared to traditional methods like machining when transitioning to mass production.
In terms of part performance, OptiMIM’s precise and uniquely engineered feedstock composition helps to form our proprietary grain structure, which allows us to deliver high strength components with the highest elongation performance in the industry. With other processes, design engineers are often forced to decide between optimizing mechanical strength or optimizing elongation—with OptiMIM, we can achieve both.
Return on Investment with Metal Injection Molding
With MIM, you notice a return on your investment as value is built into every component, spanning from the design of your medical device to its delivery at your customer’s doorstep. With OptiMIM’s design for manufacturing methodology, custom feedstock, and complex capabilities, traditional design and operation constraints are lifted.
Metal injection molding with OptiMIM adds value across your entire supply chain. You won’t just see return on investment (ROI) on the part itself, but throughout the whole value stream. With increased speed-to-market, guaranteed precision, and high-performing parts, you’ll see the benefits of metal injection molding from start to finish.
