Medical Micro Injection Molding

By Jeff Ribley (February 2025)

In the evolution of life science advanced manufacturing, the use of micro injection molding to create miniaturized seals in medical devices has emerged as a revolutionary process. As innovation in medical devices grows at a rapid rate, “getting smaller” is a sought-after feature, especially when dealing with intricately tiny polymer components within very small or confined working spaces. 

Micro injection molding is a meticulous process that delivers ultra-precision and tight tolerances, ensuring reliability and functionality within medical applications such as minimally invasive procedures, implantable devices, diagnostic equipment, and drug delivery systems. By employing state-of-the-art technology and advanced materials, designers and manufacturers can produce high-performance parts that meet the stringent standards of the medical industry. This blog will provide life science insights into the long-term benefits of micro injection molding for miniaturization, and how sealing solutions solve existing and future challenges.

1. Technology Advantages Of Micro Injection Molding Process

2. Challenges In Manufacturing Precision, Miniature Components

3. Future Trends For Micro Injection Molding

Let’s begin with the key question: “What is Micro Injection Molding?” Micro injection molding is a manufacturing technique for shaping and forming polymers to produce items, sections, or components that:

• weigh frequently less than a gram and have a diameter of only a few millimeters

• have tolerances between 10 and 100 microns

• include intricate tiny geometries with a high degree of accuracy and precision

Not only are the size, weight and dimensions critical but also finding the right partner who has the expertise and capability to accurately, consistently, precisely, and efficiently manufacture large quantities. Using this specialized method, sealing solutions are produced with precision, are cost-effective (reduced material waste), have material versatility (tailored to specific life science applications), and made with faster production times.

Omniseal Solutions’ micro injection molding capabilities are pushing the boundaries with part geometries measured in the microns for single details. Their wide variety of materials is not limited to conventional polyolefins, including groundbreaking materials such as PEEK, bioresorables and fluoropolymers, with potential opportunities for high volume and high cavitation productions. 

Their polymer micro seals are currently used in many real-world applications and are capable of being used in next-generation miniaturized components and sub-assemblies – a key differentiator when set against competitors. How can they achieve ultra-precision and tight tolerances in miniature and micro seals? It begins with an entire proven process that produces precision micro parts while improving the process robustness. 

Their high performance equipment uses not only more direct pressure application during processing but also the higher stiffness of the machine, which produce molds with better precision. The following are several other technology advantages.

1. Tolerances in the range of 10 to 100 microns

2. Parts‘ volume <0.1cm³

3. Reduced sprue volumes (material savings and a more sustainable environment)

4. Shot weights of 0.05 g to 4 g out of most available thermoplastics, as well as high temperature polymers such as PEEK or PAI

5. Clean room molding capabilities