Teknor and Genesis create new alternative for fabricating medical fluid bags

An innovation in radio frequency (RF) plastics welding now enables manufacturers of medical bags and pouches to obtain the clarity, elasticity, and performance advantages of Medalist® medical elastomers while providing a safe and fully compliant alternative to PVC, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or natural rubber latex. Teknor Apex Co. and Genesis Plastics Welding have jointly announced the breakthrough.

While conventional RF plastics welding works well with polymers such as PVC and TPU, low dielectric loss materials such as Medalist elastomers from Teknor Apex have (until now) not been bondable with this process. The ecoGenesis RF plastics welding technology developed by Genesis enables film produced from a Medalist elastomer to form strong permanent bonds with itself as well as with polypropylene and similar polymers. Complex patterns can be welded in one sequence.

This new capability for joining and assembly makes available to manufacturers of medical fluid delivery, storage, and drainage bags several important advantages over widely used PVC. Besides being free of halogens and phthalates, Medalist elastomers are available at lower hardness ranges, provide a broader processing window, exhibit greater elasticity and superior low-temperature flexibility, have a wider range of service temperatures, and save weight because of their lower density. Like PVC, Medalist elastomers are available in fully transparent grades.

Genesis offers companies using Medalist elastomers two options:

1. to use the welding services of the company as a contract manufacturer employing a regulation-compliant clean room at its facility in Indiana, U.S.A.; or
2. to license the ecoGenesis technology for use on their own standard RF welding equipment.

Source: Genesis Plastics Welding