elkemsilicones

Silicone is a highly versatile material widely used across many industries. Over the past 60 years, medical-grade silicone has been a material of choice for medical device OEMs, and the number of complex and safety-critical applications in this field continues to grow – from surgical devices and implants to orthotics, prosthetics, and more.

Silicone’s unique properties are behind all its advantages for medical device manufacturers. In this blog post, our medical-grade silicone experts explore the key features that make silicone a must for medical devices.

Biocompatibility

There’s a lot of criteria when it comes to selecting the right materials for a medical device, yet biocompatibility remains firmly at the top of the list. Thorough testing is required in this area to ensure the device does not produce any toxic or immunological response in the patient.

Due to their chemical inertness, the wide variety of silicone technologies have an excellent l…

Bringing together the expertise of a material manufacturer with that of its medical devices customers is a powerful way to develop more effective, innovative solutions. Sean McPherson, senior business development manager for silicone manufacturer Elkem, discusses the importance of collaboration and how it leads to better results for Elkem’s customers.

Elkem’s approach

Elkem takes on complex customer issues and works hand in hand with the customer to address them, McPherson explains: “We bring high level silicone expertise and we bring some general application expertise,” says McPherson. “The customers will bring that market and specific application expertise. They’re going to know their unique challenges.”

This approach sets Elkem apart from other manufacturers in the sector, offering a more effective route to solutions than the usual off-the-shelf option. “Many customers may not really understand that there’s a company out there that is willing …

By Michael Goglia, Americas Healthcare Market Manager, Elkem Silicones

Silicone based adhesives continue to play a major role in the advancement of medical devices. Silicones have long been a material of choice for MedTech OEM’s and fabricators due to their inherent properties of biocompatibility, chemical inertness, environmental stability, and high performing physical properties.  Elkem Silicones has continued to work with our customer base to develop the next generation of high performing adhesives and address unmet performance and biocompatibility needs.

Hurdles that exist when designing these devices include creating a bond between differing substrates, developing a robust and cost-effective manufacturing process, and ensuring these materials meet the current and future regulatory landscape for patient safety.  The advancement of silicone-based adhesives can further widen the range of materials available for use when designing devices and create ne…