Syringes remain an integral part of the medical industry, yet they are often an afterthought in the R&D or production phase.
William Foley, Air-Tite Products
[Image courtesy of Air-Tite Products]
With the wide variety of options available on the market containing fundamental differences in design and composition, can the syringe selection affect the end-product?
Occasionally a researcher or engineer may have difficulty identifying the source of various contaminates in their process. Sometimes the source is either the rubber or silicone oil found in common three-part syringes. If that becomes apparent in your process, there may yet remain another low-cost option by way of a two-part syringe. Two-part syringes are slightly different because they do not use a rubber tip on the plunger to create a vacuum seal. Instead, these syringes have been specifically designed to not introduce additional materials such as rubber or even silicone oil.
When you see black rubber present on the tip of the plunger in a syringe, that syringe typically requires a lubricant (most often silicone oil) to prevent the rubber from “grabbing” the sides as it slides up and down the barrel. These are the most common type of disposable syringes, known as three-part. Typically, when someone asks for a disposable syringe, they are requesting this type of syringe. Alternatively, these syringes may be referred to as regular, conventional, standard, or RTP (for rubber tip plunger) syringes. These syringes are popular for their smooth gliding motion, low cost, and wide variety of functions. The rubber gasket on the tip plunger acts as a sealant against the barrel and creates a vacuum for drawing material into the syringe. To prevent the sticking of the rubber against the solid material of the barrel, a manufacturer sprays the lubricant into the barrel during the assembly of three-part syringes. While standard three-part syringes are used for a much wider range of applications, two-part syringes offer distinct advantages for some applications.
Get the full story on our sister site Drug Delivery Business News.
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