Molding

Precise Silicone and Thermoplastic Molding

Our engineers work closely with our customers to determine the optimal molding process, tool design, and manufacturing controls for their application while also considering all material preferences and plans for manufacturing.

Silicone Molding

We provide high-quality, custom molded, precision silicone components for a range of medical devices by employing advanced silicone mixing and molding technologies, with significant experience with high-consistency rubber (HCR) and liquid silicone rubber (LSR). We work with all of the major raw material silicone manufactures and use this experience to help our customers select the optimal material for their medical device requirements. Additionally, manufacturing occurs in validated cleanroom environments to ensure the highest product cleanliness and quality.

Thermoplastic Molding

We leverage the latest scientific molding technologies with modern equipment and unmatched expertise to maximize our injection molding processes. Adhering to the most rigorous standards, our RJG trained and highly experienced engineering team works with our customers during product design, tooling design, and process development to optimize part design and manufacturability.

Our Silicone Molding Processes include:

  • Transfer Molding

    This process uses a hydraulic ram that displaces rubber through runners and gates into cavities. A benefit of transfer molding is a shorter set up time, so it can be used for both high- and low-volume production. Transfer molding is ideally used for product designs with complex shapes, thin walls, and/or for over-molding of metal and plastic inserts.

  • Compression Molding

    In our silicone rubber compression molding process, the rubber is physically placed into the cavities where the closing action of the mold completes the fill. This process is recommended for larger geometry parts and over-molding applications.

  • Micromolding

    Micromolding is used for products with the ability to hold tolerances within the micron range, including components in minimally invasive surgical tools, valves, seals, over-molding, and microsensory and microfluidics products. Precise tooling with edge, fan, and/or microgates allows precise control of even the most challenging geometries.

  • Silicone to Metal Bonding/Insert Molding

    This process bonds silicone rubber to various substrates through the use of insert molding and overmolding. We ensure that the mold design will locate, orient, and hold the insert in the exact position throughout the molding cycle, while also ensuring that the inserts are properly pre-treated to ensure maximum bond strength and performance.

  • Liquid Injection Molding (LIM)

    Liquid Injection Molding (LIM) using Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) molding is often the preferred choice for producing rubber components. The reason it is the preferred choice is due to the superior mechanical properties, biocompatibility, ability to fully automate and 24/7 production capabilities. The LIM molding process consists of an injection molding machine and a two-component metering dosing unit. Component A and B are delivered through a static mixer prior to entering the barrel of the molding machine. One of the components contains a catalyst, typically platinum based. In the static mixer the components are mixed into a homogeneous suspension and then transferred to the injection molding machine.

Our Thermoplastic Molding Processes Include

  • Injection Molding

    Our injection molding process creates fully functional components and parts that are produced with pinpoint accuracy. With the ability to create parts with pristine surface finishes, we have the capabilities to account for prototypes or full production runs.

  • Insert/Over-Molding

    Our insert molding process, in which thermoplastic materials are molded around an extrusion, metal insert or other functional component that have been inserted into the cavity of the plastic injection mold, results in a strongly encapsulated and integrated assembled component. This technique reduces assembly costs, improves quality and expands the possibilities for medical device designs. Our insert molding process is optimized to maximize its advantages over a wide range of thermoplastic materials, including chemical resistance, tensile strength and compression set.

Flexan specializes in medical silicone and thermoplastic molding producing custom-molded components for implantable and disposable medical devices.