4 Key Trends for Medical Plastic Injection Moulding

In this article, Gustav Reingsdahl explores four key trends shaping the future of plastic injection moulding in the medical sector, including the rise of sustainable materials and the growing demand for wearable medical devices and monitoring technology.

Personalised Medicine and Customisation

Personalised medicine will continue to grow, with treatments tailored to individual genetic profiles, leading to a rise in demand for custom medical devices, diagnostics, and therapies.

There will be an increasing need for custom-made components for devices such as implants, drug delivery systems, and diagnostic kits. Plastic injection moulding will be key for producing small, precise, and personalised medical parts in small batches.

Wearable Medical Devices and Remote Monitoring

The rise of wearable health tech, including devices for continuous monitoring of vital signs, glucose levels, and even mental health, will drive demand for small, reliable, and durable plastic components.

Precision, miniaturisation, and biocompatibility will become even more critical. Materials with specific mechanical properties and sterilisation capabilities will be required, and plastic injection moulding will be instrumental in delivering high-quality, lightweight parts for these devices.

3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing Integration

The integration of 3D printing with traditional manufacturing methods like injection moulding will grow, especially for prototyping and producing complex parts for medical devices.

Companies will use injection moulding for large-volume production of base parts, while 3D printing will be used for complex geometries or custom components that cannot be easily moulded. Hybrid manufacturing processes will become more common, especially for personalised medicine and surgical implants

Smart Injection Moulding: Automation and IoT Integration

The adoption of smart manufacturing practices will continue to grow, with increasing use of IoT (Internet of Things) devices, sensors, and automation in the injection moulding process.

Automation will drive efficiency, reducing human error, improving part consistency, and enabling real-time monitoring of quality control processes. This trend will be critical for medical device manufacturers who require high levels of precision and reliability in their products

Cost-Reduction Strategies and Efficiency Gains

With pressure on margins and a focus on cost-effectiveness, the industry will push for higher efficiency in injection moulding processes, which includes optimising tool life, material usage, and energy consumption.

Manufacturers will need to balance cost and performance while meeting high medical industry standards. Innovations in process optimisation, such as faster cycle times and reduced scrap rates, will be important to maintain competitive pricing, especially for large-volume medical device production.