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Author: Brian Ray

After we published the results of our 2014 thermoforming industry survey, Medical Design Briefs asked if we could share the results of the survey that are specific to the medical device industry.

We were more than happy to, and the result is an article in their February, 2015 edition.

Here are a few highlights:

  • Only 7% of Medical Device Manufacturers are Happy with Offshore Manufacturing and Have No Plans to Reshore
  • Medical Device Manufacturers Care About Quality Even More Than Customers In Other Industries
  • Thermoforming Accounts for 28% of Overall Plastics Manufacturing by Medical Device Manufacturers, and is Expected to Grow

Get the full details from the article.

Author: Brian Ray

It’s not always easy to tell which companies are using thermoforming, but the truth is that if you choose pressure forming or vacuum forming for your next project, you’re in good company.

We’ve put together a list of 17 companies who, we have it on good authority, use thermoforming. We could just give you the list, but instead we thought we’d make things a bit more fun with a crossword.

Get your puzzle on below, and find out which leading companies have chosen thermoforming as the right process for them.

Want to break out your pencil and go oldschool? Download this PDF and party like it’s 2005.

When you’re done (no cheating!) you can check out the answer key here.

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Author: Brian Ray

When it comes to manufacturing medical device enclosures, there are several processes to choose from. We know we’re a bit biased, but more often than not, pressure formed plastic really is the best option for medical device enclosures.

Here are 9 reasons why.

#1: Cost at Quantity

When you factor in both tooling and production costs, pressure forming quite often has the lowest total cost of any other process in volumes of the high-hundreds to mid-thousands. These are very common quantities in medical device enclosure manufacturing.

#2: Large Part Capability

Our pressure forming machines can create single pieces up to a full 10’x6’, with up to 40” of depth. That’s the type of size you need when you’re creating enclosures for things like MRI, CT and X-Ray machines, or ancillary equipment like beds and chairs.

#3: Huge Material Selection

When you’re pressure forming, you can choose from literally hundreds of materials. These materials can come with properties like excellent impact protection, V-0 flammability ratings and even built-in antimicrobial resistance. The same thermoplastic materials that are used for injection molding are commonly used in pressure forming. (more…)

Author: Brian Ray

3D printing is big news, and it’s no wonder. Just a few years ago, the idea of printing directly from a CAD file to a 3D physical object in a matter of minutes was preposterous. Today, it’s entirely possible.

With so much coverage in the press and popularity online, we’re sometimes asked, “Is 3D printing cutting into your business?” The very truthful answer is, not at all. In fact, it can be quite helpful.

You see, 3D printing is excellent at what it does, but what 3D printing does is quite different from what thermoforming does.

Thermoforming is a very cost-effective process once you’re planning to produce quantities of a few hundred parts up into the mid-thousands. When potential customers ask us to produce a single prototype, we usually refer them to 3D printing or other prototyping processes to help ensure manufacturability in thermoforming. This way, when they’re ready for that production run, there’s going to be no question which method is right for them. (more…)

Author: Brian Ray

As humans, we like the familiar. The comfortable. And often, the answer to “why do you do it that way” is “because we’ve always done it that way.” That’s a fine answer when it comes to which section of the newspaper we read first (sports, followed by business and a cursory glance at the international news section, obviously) but more of an issue when it comes to choosing a manufacturing process.

If you’re currently manufacturing using sheet metal, it’s worth taking a look at switching to thermoformed plastic. It’s very possible that by making the switch you could end up with a better, more durable and more attractive product that costs less to manufacture.

Here are 11 reasons to consider the switch.
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Author: Brian Ray

Forty-two years ago, flying the friendly skies was a very different experience from what it is today. So you might be surprised to learn that there’s still demand for an aircraft part that was last manufactured in 1972.

This creates a challenge. How do you recreate a part that hasn’t come off a production line in over 40 years? The short answer is, you call Ray Products.

That’s more or less what happened when an aircraft parts manufacturer came to us with a sample part and a full-size drawing from the part’s last production run in 1972. They needed to create more parts, and they needed the replacements to match the original exactly.

We put our engineering team to work, and used a combination of cutting-edge 3D technology and 60+ years of industry experience to create a cost-effective replacement that matches the original part millimeter for millimeter.

Get the full story in our Project Gallery.

Author: Brian Ray

An abridged version of this article appeared in the April 14, 2014 print edition of Plastics News, and on PlasticsNews.com.  

Reshoring Thermoforming

The story of the United States’ trade deficit with China (over $318 billion in 2013) is one that most of us are familiar with. Cheaper labor costs and more limited regulations often mean that “Made in China” is cheaper than “Made in America.”

But as the executives at Aston Martin will tell you, the true costs of outsourcing your manufacturing might not look so good over the longer term. James Bond’s favorite automaker issued a recall for 17,950 of its vehicles in early February, due to counterfeit material used by one of its offshore manufacturing partners.

According to the letter they sent to the NHTSA, Aston Martin’s engineers specified that DuPont PA6 plastic is used in the injection-molding of throttle pedals featured in many of their vehicles manufactured since 2007. However, when they investigated claims of the throttle pedals breaking, Aston’s engineers found the pedals had been manufactured from counterfeit material.

(more…)

Author: Brian Ray

Reaction Injection Molding

We’ve been getting a few questions recently about the process of Reaction Injection Molding, commonly referred to by its acronym, RIM.

RIM is a thermoset manufacturing process where two liquid polymers are blended and then injected into a single heated mold.  When the blended polymers hit the sides of the heated mold, they begin a chemical reaction that causes them to expand to fill the mold, then set into a solid part.

RIM is definitely an option worth considering as an alternative to prototyping, but when you move past prototyping into larger production runs there are several reasons to choose thermoforming over RIM.

We’ve listed four of the most common reasons here, and you can get more info from our RIM vs. Thermoforming comparison table.

Reason #1: Thermoforming Offers Improved Finish Quality & Lower Finishing Costs

Because of the chemical reaction that takes place, RIM manufactured parts have a swirled, variable finish.  If a RIM part is going to be visible in the final product, it needs to be painted.

In contrast, thermoformed parts can be molded in texture and color, allowing them to be aesthetically appealing without being painted.

If you do decide to paint, you’ll have an easier time with thermoformed parts than with RIM, since a thermoformed part’s surface will accept paint more readily than a RIM part’s and less surface prep and less paint will be required to get a high-quality finish.

Reason #2: Thermoforming Has Lower Tooling Costs

To move from prototyping into larger quantity production, RIM manufacturing requires a 2-sided mold, similar to the molds used in injection molding.  In contrast, thermoforming uses a single-sided mold. While RIM tooling is still cheaper than injection molding tooling, thermoforming tooling is significantly more affordable than either process, and allows you to get your product to market faster.

Less expensive tooling not only saves on the initial production costs but also lowers the cost of design changes and modifications.

Reason #3:  Thermoforming Is A More Environmentally Friendly Process

Thermoformed parts are completely recyclable.  In fact, we can recycle the trimmings from all our thermoforming projects right here in the factory to be sent back to our suppliers, who reprocess them back into the thermoplastic sheet.

Products created with RIM can’t be recycled, it’s simply a limitation of the process.

Reason #4:  Large Part Thermoforming Allows Part Consolidation

Our large part thermoforming capabilities allow us to make a single part of up to 10’x 18’.  This means that we can consolidate what would be multiple RIM parts into a single large thermoformed part.  There are a number of advantages to this type of part consolidation, including reduced part numbers, reduced inventory levels and less assembly time on the manufacturing floor.  All these individual advantages combine for one big benefit:  saving you money.

Every project has an ideal process.  If you’ve been considering RIM for anything beyond initial prototyping for your next custom plastic fabrication and plastic manufacturing project, we’d recommend that you look at the advantages of thermoforming before you make up your mind.

Author: Brian Ray

Raise your hand if you love germs. Ok – how about mold? Mildew? I have a pretty good hunch that unless you’re a mycologist you’re hand’s not up in the air.

Bacterial and mold contamination cause enormous amounts of harm. In the U.S., about 4.6 million cases of asthma are attributed to mold exposure according to the Global Indoor Health Network. And worldwide, millions are hospitalized every year for bacterial infections.

So – I think we can all agree that reducing bacterial and mold contamination is a good thing. Which is where antimicrobial plastics come in.

What Are Antimicrobial Plastics?

Antimicrobial plastics are, in short, plastics that inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold or mildew. They do this by disrupting the growth cycle of the microbes in a number of different ways.

There is a wide range of antimicrobial plastics available that use several different technologies for their antimicrobial properties. Some use proprietary formulations like Microban®, others use more traditional antimicrobial compounds like silver-ions. Each has its own unique characteristics, but the good news is that they’re available in a wide range of materials, colors, and thicknesses.

With thermoformed antimicrobial plastics, the antimicrobial protection isn’t just coated on the outside of the plastic, but integrated into the actual structure of the plastic itself. This means that the antimicrobial resistance lasts throughout the life of the product and works to reduce microbial contamination between cleanings.

What Can They Be Used For?

Antimicrobial plastics are worth considering for anything where bacteria, mold or mildew resistance could be a benefit to the product. If you’re making something that will come in contact with people or prolonged moisture, it’s worth considering using antimicrobial plastics.

Sample Applications:

  • Aircraft Interiors
  • Mass Transit Vehicle Interior Components
  • Equipment Housings
  • Foodservice Equipment
  • Medical Products
  • Healthcare Equipment
  • Durable Medical Goods
  • Sporting Equipment
  • Kiosk Housings
  • And More!

At Ray Products, we have access to a wide variety of antimicrobial plastics that can be incorporated into any of our pressure forming, vacuum forming, and large part thermoforming processes.

If you’re interested in custom manufacturing plastics with antimicrobial properties, we’d love to help.  Download our Lessons Learned whitepaper in medical device thermoformed manufacturing.

How Can Ray Products Help You Today?