Finding manufacturers with expertise in both medical-grade molding and assembly can be challenging. Many companies end up coordinating between multiple vendors and managing extended production timelines. This increases costs and creates a strong potential for quality control issues across different facilities.
American Plastics offers both plastic injection molding and assembly services, all under one roof. The high-quality plastic components we produce comply with strict medical device regulations and laboratory equipment standards. Our integrated manufacturing reduces project timelines and simplifies quality control across your entire production run.
Read on to learn more about plastic molding and assembly for medical and lab products.
What Are Plastic Molding and Assembly for Medical and Lab Products
Plastic molding for medical and laboratory applications involves creating precision components through injection molding processes specifically designed to meet healthcare industry standards. This manufacturing method transforms raw plastic materials into finished parts that can withstand sterilization procedures, maintain dimensional stability under various conditions, and provide consistent performance throughout their operational lifecycle. The process requires careful attention to material selection, mold design, and production parameters to ensure each component meets the exacting requirements of medical and laboratory environments.
Assembly services complement the molding process by integrating multiple components into functional devices or systems that are ready for end-use applications. This involves combining injection-molded parts with hardware components, seals, filters, or electronic elements through processes like ultrasonic welding to create complete products. Assembling the parts requires specialized knowledge of medical device regulations, contamination control protocols, and quality assurance procedures that differ significantly from standard manufacturing practices.
Plastic injection molding offers several advantages for medical and laboratory products:
- Complex geometry production: Creates intricate shapes with dimensional accuracy and surface finish quality that meets healthcare precision requirements
- Feature integration: Consolidates multiple components into a single part, reducing assembly steps and eliminating potential failure points
- High-volume consistency: Ensures part-to-part repeatability essential for medical devices where performance variations affect patient safety or analytical accuracy
- Cost-effective production: Achieves low per-unit costs for high-volume medical disposables while maintaining quality standards
- Material versatility: Biocompatible resins, chemical-resistant plastics, or specialized compounds based on specific application requirements
- Rapid prototyping capability: Enables faster development cycles for new medical devices and laboratory instruments through quick design iteration
Plastic Molding Material Selection for Medical and Lab Components
The table below compares commonly used plastics for medical and lab components. It highlights their mechanical strengths and suitability in chemically demanding environments.
Plastics & Resins Used for Medical & Lab Components
| Material | Chemical Resistance | Impact Strength (ft-lb/in notched Izod) | Tensile Strength (psi) |
Beneficial Properties for Medical Applications |
|
Polypropylene (PP) |
Excellent | 1.4 – 5.5 | 4,500 – 18,500 |
Excellent chemical and moisture resistance; often used in containers, syringes, and lab trays. |
|
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) |
Poor to Fair | 3.0 – 7.5 | 5,000 – 7,500 |
Strong, impact-resistant, and easy to mold; ideal for device housings and inhalers. |
|
Polyurethane (PUR) |
Good | 1.5 – 10 | 500 – 33,000 |
Flexible, durable, and resistant to wear, suitable for implants and soft components like balloon pumps. |
|
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) |
Fair to Good | 0.8 – 1.4 | 10,000 – 12,000 |
Customizable flexibility, flame retardant, and stable; commonly found in tubing and blood bags. |
|
Polycarbonate (PC) |
Poor to Fair | 2 – 18 | 9,000 – 23,000 |
Optically clear, highly durable, and dimensionally stable; used in surgical instruments and connectors. |
|
Polystyrene (PS) |
Poor | 3 – 7 | 7,500 – 10,000 |
Rigid, transparent, and affordable; widely used in disposable labware like Petri dishes. |
|
Polysulfone (PSU) |
Fair to Good | 0.65 – 7 | 9,500 – 18,000 |
Maintains toughness at high temps; chemical-resistant and often used in sterilizable lab parts. |
|
Acetal (POM) |
Excellent | 0.8 – 2 | 6,000 – 22,000 |
Low friction, tough, and chemically resistant; great for dental instruments and moving parts. |
|
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) |
Fair to Good | 0.45 – 8 | 7,000 – 23,000 |
Strong, clear, and resistant to abrasion; suitable for sutures, tubes, and prosthetic components. |
| Polyethylene (PE) | Good to Excellent | 2 – No break | 1,900 – 4,500 |
Lightweight, tough, and moisture-resistant; commonly molded into catheters and protective gear. |
Where to Find a Plastic Injection Molder Who Can Also Perform Assembly
At American Plastics, we offer expert plastic molding and assembly for medical and lab products. Our services combine decades of technical expertise with modern equipment designed to meet the precision requirements of healthcare applications. We’re an ISO 9001-certified injection molding facility with specialized capabilities for producing medical and laboratory components.
We can also manufacture these parts without needing a specialized clean room or ISO 13485 certification. If required, we can set up a clean room without you having to specify the particular class. This flexibility allows us to accommodate projects with varying regulatory requirements and timelines.
Our assembly capabilities transform individual molded components into complete, functional products by integrating various hardware elements, including screws, springs, clasps, and specialized fasteners. Each assembly operation follows documented procedures designed to maintain quality and ensure consistent results across production runs. The quality management system governing these operations provides traceability and documentation required for medical device applications.
Value-Added Services
We also offer the following value-add services to complement our plastic molding and assembly for medical and lab products:
Design & Engineering
Modern medical device designs require increasingly sophisticated tooling and engineering support to achieve the precision and reliability demanded by healthcare applications. Our technical team designs molds that deliver accurate, repeatable results while minimizing material waste during production. They’re able to withstand high-volume production cycles while maintaining dimensional consistency across long runs.
Our engineering approach encompasses the entire product lifecycle from initial prototyping through full-scale production to ensure that tooling designs meet exact specifications and relevant industry standards. This comprehensive engineering support transforms conceptual designs into manufacturable products that perform reliably in demanding medical and laboratory environments.
Printing, Packaging, and Shipping
Complete finishing services include printing, labeling, and decorating capabilities that add essential markings, branding, and identification elements to finished products. Our decorating services encompass screen printing, pad printing, heat transfer labeling, and hot stamping techniques suitable for various surface textures and materials. These accommodate complex shapes and challenging materials while accurately reproducing corporate logos, part numbers, regulatory markings, and other required text or graphics.
Types of Medical and Lab Products Manufactured by Plastic Injection Molding
Medical and laboratory plastic components span an enormous range of applications, from simple disposable items to complex multi-part assemblies used in life-critical situations. They must withstand various sterilization methods, maintain their properties across temperature extremes, and resist degradation from chemical exposure common in healthcare environments.
Laboratory applications present their own unique challenges, requiring components that maintain chemical inertness while providing reliable performance in analytical and research environments. Many laboratory plastic products require optical clarity for observation purposes, while others need specific surface finishes to prevent contamination or facilitate cleaning procedures.
Common medical and laboratory plastic injection molded components include:
- Disposable syringes and needle hubs – Single-use items requiring precise dimensions for proper fit and fluid flow
- Laboratory sample containers and vials – Chemical-resistant vessels with tight-fitting caps for specimen storage and analysis
- Medical device housings and enclosures – Protective cases for electronic equipment that must withstand sterilization procedures
- Microfluidic chips and plates – Precision components with microscopic channels for analytical testing and research applications
- Surgical instrument handles and grips – Ergonomic parts designed for reliable handling during medical procedures
- Diagnostic test cassettes and cartridges – Multi-cavity components that direct fluid flow in automated testing equipment
Comprehensive Medical and Lab Component Manufacturing Services
Understanding medical and laboratory plastic manufacturing requirements helps companies make better sourcing decisions. The regulatory compliance, quality assurance, and technical expertise required for these applications require careful evaluation of potential manufacturing partners.
At American Plastics, we bring together ISO-certified manufacturing processes, comprehensive quality systems, and specialized expertise in medical and laboratory applications to deliver reliable production solutions. Our integrated approach to design, molding, assembly, and finishing provides the consistency and documentation required for successful medical and lab component manufacturing.
