News & Insights

Source: Plastics Today Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is part of the umbrella of polyethylene thermoplastics. Other peers include low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Although UHMWPE embodies many similar qualities as HDPE, it is much stronger and carries a significantly higher resistance to chemicals, wet environments and withstands abrasion 15 times greater than carbon steel. This is why, among its many applications, it is the most common material... Read More

An Informational Brief on Polymer Machining   Polycarbonate, one of the oldest known polymers, was first discovered in 1898 by Alfred Einhorn at the University of Munich. It was not until 1953 that Bayer patented the first linear polycarbonate and branded it as "Makrolon". Ever since then, this material has become one of the most commonly used polymers across multiple industries.   Known for its durability, stability and clarity, polycarbonate... Read More

A discussion with the plastics pros at AIP on how the ISO 13485:2016 standard improves quality assurance for medical machined plastics.   What sets a quality management system (QMS) above the rest for medical device manufacturing and machining? Safety, sanitation and product integrity are, without a doubt, crucial for any plastics machining company working with materials for medical use.   How can you ascertain the validity of a company's QMS?... Read More

An Informational Brief on Polymer Machining   Since it was first polymerized in 1954 by Karl Rehn and Giulio Natta, polypropylene (PP) has become one of the leading polymer choices for a wide array of applications from automotive to commercial to medical.   Polypropylene plays a significant role in medical applications due to its high chemical resistance, lightweight, radiolucency and repeated autoclavability. Furthermore, medical grade PP exhibits good resistance to... Read More

A discussion with the plastics pros at AIP on how to choose the right plastic for your medical application   When it comes to selecting a polymer for a medical application, there are a myriad of factors that play into deciding which grade of polymer is the best candidate. Of course, the number one concern in medical device design is safety of human life.   For this reason, trends in... Read More