Intelligent structural material for medical technology

Medical technology suppliers such as Swiss-based Emaform AG have high expectations when selecting appropriate structural materials. The polyurethane integral skin foam systems Baydur® 66 FR and 110 FR from Bayer MaterialScience are right at the top of their game, meeting every need in terms of functionality, design, strength and fire protection for housing parts.

Customized coating of moldings at Emaform ensures that demanding surface requirements can also be satisfied. Furthermore, they are ideal for meeting one particular challenge – the cost-efficient production of high-quality, complex components in the small and medium volumes that are typical of this industry. One example is housing parts for equipment from Varian Medical Systems.

Today’s medical technology products are often complex devices. This is also true of housing parts that protect the technical components inside against environmental influences and contamination. Emaform uses the proven and cost-effective integral construction method for production, with bushings and threads being included in the molding process. Brackets, sheet metal, and Plexiglas parts are bonded to the molding, to which various add-on parts are then screwed or bolted.

The high vertical range of manufacture enables Emaform to supply complete assemblies. This cuts the workload for final assembly by the customer, Varian Medical Systems, which is also based in Switzerland. In turn, Varian Medical Systems can also offer hospitals and other end customers efficient spare parts management.

Acceptance of medical equipment today doesn’t just depend on its ability to function reliably over the long term. A decorative or ergonomic design is also key, as this facilitates operation of equipment and creates a pleasant environment for patients and staff. Here, too, Baydur® systems are the material of choice, offering outstanding design freedom and meeting manufacturers’ requirements for high-quality moldings.

Baydur® 66 FR produces sandwich structures with excellent stiffness and low weight thanks to the hard surface and a microporous structure inside the components. Baydur® 110 FR is ideal for thin-walled parts with high-quality surfaces that should nonetheless be highly stable. The option of using low-cost aluminum molds offers a cost saving over thermoplastic materials, as polyurethane moldings are manufactured at much lower pressures.

About Bayer MaterialScience:
With 2013 sales of EUR 11.2 billion, Bayer MaterialScience is among the world’s largest polymer companies. Business activities are focused on the manufacture of high-tech polymer materials and the development of innovative solutions for products used in many areas of daily life. The main segments served are the automotive, electrical and electronics, construction and the sports and leisure industries. At the end of 2013, Bayer MaterialScience had 30 production sites and employed approximately 14,300 people around the globe. Bayer MaterialScience is a Bayer Group company.

About Varian Medical Systems:
Varian Medical Systems is the world’s leading manufacturer of medical technology for treating cancer and other medical conditions with radiotherapy, brachytherapy and radiosurgery. The company is also a premier supplier of X-ray tubes and digital image detectors for imaging in medical, scientific and industrial applications. The company’s high-energy imaging systems are also used for screening cargo.

This news release is available for download from the Bayer MaterialScience press server at www.press.bayerbms.com. Photos are available there for download as well. Please mind the source of the pictures.

Find more information at www.materialscience.bayer.com.

Foto: Medical technology products like the TrueBeam™ system from Varian Medical Systems are complex devices. This is also true of housing parts that protect the technical components inside against environmental influences and contamination. They are manufactured from the polyurethane integral skin foam systems Baydur® 66 FR and 110 FR from Bayer MaterialScience, which are meeting every need in terms of functionality, design, strength and fire protection for housing parts.