Features

From the Editor: U.S. Tariffs Cast Shadow Over Promising Growth of Pulsed Field Ablation Devices

Tariff uncertainty adds another layer of complexity to an already fragmented global regulatory environment. With PFA currently approved in only a handful of markets, the U.S. remains critical to commercial viability. Read on to learn more about what Sherrie Trigg, Editor and Director of Medical Content, has to say about the matter.

Soft Brainstem Implant Delivers High-Resolution Hearing

A team at EPFL’s Laboratory for Soft Bioelectronic Interfaces has developed a soft, thin-film auditory brainstem implant. The device uses micron-scale platinum electrodes embedded in silicone, forming a pliable array just a fraction of a millimeter thick. Read on to learn more.

The Growing Connectivity Dimensions in Medical Technology

The lack of compatibility between high electrical and highly dynamic requirements in cable design is not solved but taken to a new level with medical megatrends such as AI, robotics, and miniaturization together with indispensable sustainability and safety demands. Read on to learn more.

Film Cast PTFE Liner and Tubing: An Inside Look at Quality from a Manufacturing Perspective

This article explores how the film cast process manufactures micro tubing products from liquid polymer coatings, then defines three important test methods and specifications that are needed to optimize film cast PTFE’s quality and material strength properties. Read on to learn more.

Manufacturing Technologies: A 2025 Medical Device Industry Outlook

The global medical device manufacturing industry is undergoing a rapid transformation driven by technological innovation, automation, and increasing demands for customized, high-quality care. This article provides an overview of key technological advancements reshaping the medical device manufacturing landscape, including additive manufacturing, robotics, laser welding, and more.

Key Trends Drive the Future of Medical Device Manufacturing

Medical device contract manufacturing is poised for robust and sustained growth, with the global market projected to surpass $150 billion by 2030. This expansion is being driven by technological innovations, shifting healthcare demands, and increasing reliance on outsourcing to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Read on to learn more.

Precision in Motion: The Future of Robotics and Automation in Medical Device Manufacturing

As regulatory demands intensify and product complexity grows, automation and robotics provide medtech engineers with a powerful set of tools. From high-speed motion control to cleanroom-certified cobots and predictive maintenance, the technologies now available can transform the entire device manufacturing life cycle. Read on to learn more.

Test and Measurement: Regulatory Updates and Strategic Implications

The regulatory and testing landscape for medical devices is shifting in real time. Standards are being revised. Read on to learn what this means.

2024 Sustainability Stakeholder Study - Healthcare

In 2024, Plastics Ingenuity interviewed a share of the stakeholders in the healthcare packaging sector. These organizations include medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, biotech products, and life science applications. Read on to learn more.

From the Editor - Welcome to the Inaugural Medical Design Briefs Resource Guide

As the pace of innovation accelerates across the medical device industry, staying informed on core technologies and market trends is more important than ever. With that in mind, we are proud to introduce the 2025 summer edition of the Medical Design Briefs Resource Guide — a new, semi-annual issue designed to deliver essential insights into the components, materials, and services that power medical device development and manufacturing. Read on to learn more.

Solving Post-Production Cleaning Challenges in Medical Device Manufacturing

Successful post-production cleaning in medical device manufacturing requires a comprehensive approach that addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. Read on to learn more about it.

Building a Strong Medical Device Supply Chain

Contract manufacturing partners play a vital role in the medical device supply chain. Their capability to meet precise design specifications is essential. When they consistently deliver high-quality results on schedule and within budget, they provide substantial value, helping manufacturers reduce risk, accelerate time to market, and maintain regulatory compliance. Read on to learn more.

Beyond The Illusion of Design for Additive Manufacturing In Medical Devices

The promise of additive manufacturing (AM) in the medical device industry has always been clear, the ability to create intricate geometries, patient-specific implants, and previously impossible structures. The reality, however, is far less inspiring. Read on to learn more.

Why Photochemical Etching Is Becoming Critical for High-Precision Medical Manufacturing

The medical industry demands precision, biocompatibility, and reliability — all of which are fundamental strengths of PCE. As manufacturers continue to innovate, PCE will remain at the forefront of high-precision medical manufacturing, ensuring that medical devices perform at the highest level to improve patient outcomes worldwide. Read on to learn more.

Video Spotlight on Products and Services

See where the video spotlight is this month: on CNC machining; micro linear actuators; a lab tube cutting machine; the 601 series Air Turbine Spindle® mills at 90,000 RPM; MD® multipurpose adhesives; and much more.

From the Editor — Transformative Trends Reshaping Life Sciences Manufacturing

The life sciences industry is at a pivotal moment, where groundbreaking technologies are redefining how therapeutics and medical devices are discovered, developed, and manufactured. From AI to additive manufacturing, these advancements are accelerating time-to-market, improving efficiency, and enabling more personalized solutions for patients. Read on to learn Editor and Director of Medical Content Sherrie Trigg's thoughts on the matter.

Guest Editorial: The Next Wave of Medical Devices: Personalized with Local Impact

As an industry, AM is experiencing advancements at a rapid pace. Innovation is enabling enhanced capabilities across the entire workflow from software and materials through 3D printing technologies. Additionally, we see 3D printers with much smaller footprints enabling the technology to be used in smaller spaces such as hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and dental laboratories and clinics. Read on to learn more.

Transforming Respiratory Imaging: Mapping Airway Cilia in Real Time

Researchers at the F-OCT Group have developed an imaging technique that can monitor and measure small, mobile cilia structures in human airways. This SEIM system, supported by negative-stiffness vibration isolation, has been validated as a means of finding CBF in human upper airway mucosa. Read on to learn more.

Inside the OEM GE Healthcare: Navigating Innovation, Growth, and Market Dynamics

GE Healthcare has undergone a marked transformation in recent years, positioning itself further as a leader in medical technology imaging. This article explores the company’s innovation strategies, margin improvements, and market insights while also addressing key challenges over the past year and looking at future opportunities for the company.

Product of the Month

See the product of the month: Plastic Ingenuity's validated thermoformed ready-to-use pharma tubs. The tubs are comparable to traditional injection molded tubs; however, they offer rapid development, a lower cost of entry, and material reductions.

Space-Based Tech for Home Health Monitoring

Technologies from NASA, federal labs, and universities have found commercial applications in the medical industry. Read on, as this article highlights some of those spin-off innovations.

New Products and Services

See the new products and services, including precision metering pumps from Circor International; a high-performance gantry robot with an integrated slip roller conveyor system from Dispense Works; XP Power's range of compact, low-profile AC-DC power supplies with flexible cooling options; Festo's updated mass flow controller; and much more.

Product Focus: Laser Marking/Machining

See where the product focus is this month: laser marking and machining.

Pacifier Monitors NICU Babies

Researchers have developed a pacifier designed to monitor a baby’s electrolyte levels in real time, potentially eliminating the need for repeated invasive blood draws. The team constructed a tiny tunnel, or microfluidic channel, into the body of the pacifier. Read on to learn more.

Blockchain Could Empower Patient Data Management

Researchers are leveraging informatics approaches to tackle persistent challenges in data management and sharing, enabling real-world healthcare applications to enhance data security and accessibility. Read on to learn more.

Prosthetic Hand Adjusts Its Grasp

Engineers have developed a pioneering prosthetic hand that can grip plush toys, water bottles, and other everyday objects like a human, carefully conforming and adjusting its grasp to avoid damaging or mishandling whatever it holds. Read on to learn more.

Miniature Intra-Bone Implants Promote Healing

Research engineers are developing smart implants that can both monitor and promote healing in fractured bones. Read on to learn more.

Interlocking Metasurfaces Improve Structural Strength

Researchers have significantly improved a new joining technology, interlocking metasurfaces, designed to increase the strength and stability of a structure in comparison to traditional techniques like bolts and adhesives, using shape memory alloys. Read on to learn more.

Tiny Spectral Sensor Identifies Materials

Researchers have combined miniaturized hardware and intelligent algorithms to create a cost-effective, compact powerful tool capable of solving real-world problems in areas like healthcare. Read on to learn more.