Micro Injection Molding for Medical Consumables is a highly precise plastic molding process specifically designed for producing micro-scale medical consumable components with part weights under 1 gram (often <0.1 g) and feature dimensions in the micron (μm) range. It represents an advanced, miniaturized evolution of conventional injection molding, utilizing specialized micro-injection machines, ultra-precise molds, and high-performance medical-grade materials to achieve complex geometries, exceptional repeatability, and micron-level tolerance control.
Unlike standard injection molding, micro injection molding operates with extremely small shot sizes (in the milligram range), significantly lower clamping forces (typically <100 lbs), and is performed in a constant-temperature cleanroom environment (ISO Class 7 or higher). Key technical features include:
Five-axis micro-machined molds with tolerances within ±0.005 mm
Variable temperature control to prevent premature material solidification
Dedicated micro hot-runner systems to minimize material waste
Real-time in-line optical inspection for consistent quality assurance
Commonly used materials include biocompatible medical-grade resins such as PEEK, PC, ABS, LCP, etc., enabling the production of thin-walled structures (<0.3 mm), microfluidic channels, microneedle arrays, and other intricate features.
In the field of medical consumables, micro injection molding is widely applied to manufacture:
Microfluidic chips
Insulin pen needle assemblies
Ventilator micro-valves
Diagnostic reagent cards
Catheter connectors
Implantable drug-delivery micro-components
PCR plate micro-wells
Micro-optical lenses
These components directly influence diagnostic accuracy, drug delivery precision, and patient safety, and fully comply with stringent regulatory standards such as ISO 13485 and FDA requirements.
Key advantages include:
Extremely high precision (feature sizes down to below 100 μm)
High material utilization efficiency
Low per-part cost in high-volume production
Faster time-to-market