Four key trends in the medical devices industry

One growing trend in the world of plastic injection molding for the healthcare sector is the increase in the number of 'Full-Service' manufacturers integrating various activities along the supply chain, such as transport and saving on supply costs. In addition to responding better to changing business demands, these manufacturers, like INNOVAMED, help reduce the risks involved in dealing with multiple suppliers.

In this article, we analyze four current trends affecting medical device manufacturers such as INNOVAMED that will undoubtedly evolve as market forces continue to shape the global picture.

ON-SHORING

This domestic production movement is due to a number of reasons; rising labor and material costs in "cheap" countries, the delay and supply chain costs inherent in overseas transport and logistics (including customs) and, in some cases, growing concerns regarding the continued theft of intellectual property. In addition, the productivity of on-shoring workers is multiplied by the increasing use of automation and robotics, and domestic manufacturing results in shorter delivery times and lower costs. Negotiating flexible lead times and solving supply chain problems is also much easier when time zone differences are not a significant factor.

INTEGRAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT

In the manufacturing of medical devices, different agents are involved: product development engineering, prototyping companies, technology centers (R&D&I)... In this sense, INNOVAMED collaborates and accompanies its customers, ensuring the optimization of the production phase before the injection or microinjection of plastic parts or components in its ISO 7 Clean Rooms and its corresponding assembly and packaging service.

TRACEABILITY

The concept of traceability is an essential requirement to ensure the safety of medical devices for any manufacturer of healthcare products. For this reason, ISO 13485, together with Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council on medical devices and Regulation (EU) 2017/746 on in vitro diagnostic medical devices, are mandatory requirements and will increasingly require more document management in the sector. In short, all those pre-established procedures that allow us to know the history, location and traceability of a product or batch of products along the production chain, must be documented and will become more and more demanding.

INCREASED USE OF ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION

Manufacturers like INNOVAMED are increasingly taking advantage of the high speed and high accuracy of robotics to increase production efficiency and help maintain consistent quality in conjunction with today's workforce. The ability to use customized and interchangeable tools, from the construction of tools and accessories to molding processes and through value-added services and packaging, can lead to greater flexibility and shorter makeready times for new production lines.