This text explores the work to activate the PEEK floor of medical gadgets, aiming to considerably improve the PAD printing course of to attain full print adhesion.
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Print ink adhesion (PAD)
The PAD Printing approach locations a really skinny layer of ink onto the floor, however this method proved sub-optimal when used with medical gadgets manufactured from polyetheretherketone (PEEK), for instance, catheters, microcatheters, nasogastric feeding tubes and endotracheal tubes.
Polyetheretherketone is an engineered thermoplastic that displays distinctive warmth resistance. PEEK’s glass transition temperature is 144 °C, whereas its melting level is 335 °C. It’s typically melt-processed at 370 °C.
Whereas these properties present a spread of tangible advantages to a design engineer, they’ll additionally result in a secondary meeting and adorning points, significantly when it comes to bonding, printing, coating and portray.
Henniker Plasma has been working to determine a viable answer to those points.
The answer
One of many elementary necessities for profitable ink adhesion lies in appropriately spreading the ink onto the substrate. Spreading happens if the ink’s floor rigidity is decrease than the floor free vitality of the half.
The crew started by confirming there have been no underlying contamination points. This was carried out by figuring out the floor free vitality of quite a few PEEK gadgets by way of a spread of in-house floor check strategies. This can be a regularly employed step in Henniker Plasma’s course of growth methodology.
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The significance of floor vitality
Floor vitality might be understood as the excess vitality on the floor of a fabric versus the majority materials itself.
Ought to the liquid’s molecules be attracted to one another extra strongly than they’re to the floor, the liquid will are inclined to type beads quite than wetting the floor. A bigger attraction to the floor will trigger the liquid to unfold out extra, nonetheless.
Picture Credit score: Henniker Plasma
A floor with increased floor vitality will moist extra simply. As the power to moist a floor might be understood as a easy definition of the adhesion traits of the floor, it’s, subsequently, simpler to attach, paint, print or bond to that individual floor.
Measurements revealed floor vitality values between 30-35 dynes for untreated PEEK, whereas probably the most generally utilized inks on this course of exhibited floor rigidity values roughly 25% increased.
Plasma floor remedy
Plenty of plasma remedies have been investigated to find out probably the most fast and cost-effective technique of enhancing the PEEK gadgets’ floor wettability.
As soon as preliminary trials had been accomplished, it was potential to place a easy and efficient course of in place to extend the PEEK floor vitality to greater than 72 dynes. This was potential with a complete course of cycle time of lower than two minutes.
Making certain satisfaction
Henniker Scientific’s strong mixture of expertise and experience within the growth and optimization of low floor vitality supplies – coupled with the corporate’s capability to undertake fast testing and develop a viable course of – has proved invaluable to the groups they work with.
As soon as it had been developed and examined, the method was transferred to Henniker Plasma’s in-house contract remedy crew, affording purchasers a fast, cost-effective answer to their printing issues.
About Henniker Plasma
Henniker – Obsessed with Plasma®
We’re an skilled, dynamic and increasing firm already established as a number one UK producer of plasma remedy methods for cleansing, activation and coating.
Our success is constructed round an distinctive physique of information and experience, backed by extremely educated and devoted employees who perceive your software in appreciable element. Our customary configurations cowl most functions however we perceive too that no two samples or surfaces are the identical. That’s why, uniquely, we provide a variety of choices that enable us to customize any customary system to your actual requirement.
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