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Midstate Mold & Engineering

Precision Plastic Injection Molders

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Requirements for Plastic Injection Molding in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Whether you’re looking for parts for the production or distribution process, finding the right plastic injection molding in pharmaceutical manufacturing requires careful attention. You need to work with a manufacturer that not only understands medical-grade plastics and manufacturing standards, but also has the ability to rapid prototype and ramp up manufacturing so your products deliver on time. Learn more about what you’ll need below.

The Difference Between Normal and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

The difference between normal and pharmaceutical manufacturing is one that overlaps significantly with the medical industry as a whole. Some things to keep in mind when talking to a manufacturer:

  • Traceability: In the medical industry, traceability is a required step that mitigates liability, identifies the source of issues, and reveals which products are affected. The same often applies to pharmaceutical devices and products.
  • You May Need Medical Grade Plastics: For both medical devices and the containers or applicators for your drugs, you may need to use medically safe plastics such as Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), Polyethylene, and Polypropylene.
  • Using Antimicrobial and Antiviral Additives: Added to plastics to make them hostile to viruses and bacteria, these additives are especially important in wearable or multi-use pharmaceuticals. Learn more here.

Learn more in our blog, The Difference Between Normal and Medical Plastic Injection Molded Parts.

Plastic Injection Molding for Pharmaceutical Devices

For pharamac eutical devices, such as those used to research, prototype, and create the drugs and their applicators, there is often a lot of overlap with medical devices as a whole, both in terms of both the standards for manufacturing (such as ISO 13485, ISO 14971, and ISO 10993) and the quality control needed to make sure those parts function properly. Learn more in our two blogs:

Injection Molding for Pill Bottles & Blister Packets

The ubiquitous pill bottle or blister packet is a common use in pharmaceutical manufacturing, with most products ready off the shelf. However, to make them stand out or for special situations—such as fragile or sensitive drugs—a specialized pill bottle may be needed. It’s important to work with plastic parts manufacturers with clean room access and experience to keep your containers sterile until they reach your packaging facility.

Plastic Parts for Drug Administration

For non-pill pharmaceuticals, special manufacturing may be required. From the creation of inhalers to more bespoke sprays or injectors, it’s important to prototype the administration method alongside the drug creation, including part prototyping. As these parts are disposable and sometimes single-use, a balance between comfort, safety, and cost needs to be maintained. Make sure to work with manufacturers who can maintain this balance, from mold making to part manufacturing.

Like the medical and life sciences industries, the pharmaceutical market can best utilize injection molding manufacturers based in the US, with an eye toward quality control and turnkey manufacturing. At Midstate Mold, we have a long history of helping these specific industries meet their needs. If you need an experienced manufacturer and tool designer dedicated to your industry, get a quote or contact us today.