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Home / Medical Injection Molding Case Study: Blood Glucose Meter Panel Production

Medical Injection Molding Case Study: Blood Glucose Meter Panel Production

2025/10/10 By le zhan

Blood Glucose Meter Panel Production

Many medical device recalls stem from component failures, which can often be traced back to inaccurate injection molding processes. For a client I work with that produces blood glucose meter panels, this risk is particularly acute. A dimensional deviation of even 0.1 mm can cause internal sensors to misalign, leading to inaccurate blood glucose readings or even device failure. These defects are not only costly for manufacturers but also undermine the trust of healthcare providers and patients. Therefore, we will use this blood glucose meter panel case study as a focal point to illustrate how all-electric injection molding machines address the pain points of medical injection molding production: inconsistent part dimensions, long cycle times, and insufficient regulatory compliance.

Case video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNNgr6pULtc&t=1s

Medical Injection Molding Project Overview: Blood Glucose Meter Panel Specifications and Requirements

Let’s first review the key parameters of this project. The client, a medical device manufacturer, needed to produce blood glucose meter panels that met the following requirements:

  1. Material: PC – It offers impact resistance, improved transparency, and enhanced compliance with ISO 10993 biocompatibility standards.
  2. Product Specifications: 20g per piece, 85mm x 70mm in size.
  3. Mold Configuration: A two-cavity mold is used (to balance production output and part quality; a four-cavity mold risks uneven cooling of thin-walled PC).
  4. Cycle Time: Targeted at approximately 30 seconds.
  5. Quality Standards: Dimensional tolerance of ±0.05mm, zero flash, and 100% traceability.

Preliminary trials with the customer revealed that the existing hydraulic injection molding machine had drawbacks: cycle times as long as 38 seconds, 1.5% of parts exhibited dimensional errors, and hydraulic system oil leaks posed a contamination risk.

Medical Injection Molding Project Overview Blood Glucose Meter Panel Specifications and Requirements

Why Electric Injection Molding Machines Are More Suitable for Medical Injection Molding

Medical injection molding requires three essential qualities: precision, purity, and repeatability—recognizing the advantages of electric injection molding machines over hydraulic ones. First, hydraulic injection molding machines rely on oil pressure for accuracy, which fluctuates with temperature and wear, leading to inconsistent injection speed and pressure. Electric injection molding machines use servo motors on each axis (injection, clamping, and ejection) to achieve positioning accuracy up to ±0.1 mm, which allows them to meet the 0.05 mm tolerances required for blood glucose meter panels. Secondly, regarding purity, hydraulic systems pose the risk of oil leaks, which could contaminate medical-grade materials like PC. The oil-free design of all electric injection molding machines eliminates this risk.

Furthermore, electric injection molding machines maintain consistent cycle times and part quality over over 10,000 runs. In customer testing, blood glucose meter panels produced using electric injection molding machines achieved a repeatability of 99.8%, compared to only 97.2% for hydraulic machines. For medical manufacturers, this consistency means fewer rejected batches, faster FDA approval, and reduced waste.

Advantages of the TEll 160T Electric Injection Molding Machine

First, the 160-ton clamping force is sufficient to maintain a tight seal in a two-cavity mold during injection, preventing flash. Unlike lower-tonnage injection molding machines that struggle with PC’s high melt viscosity, the TEll 160t’s clamping system maintains stable pressure throughout the entire molding cycle. Secondly, regarding injection performance, the machine’s injection unit boasts a maximum speed of 500 mm/s, making it ideal for filling thin-walled panels without creating bubbles.

This precise control reduces fill time per cavity to 3 seconds, compared to 5 seconds for a hydraulic press. Thirdly, the cycle time for medical injection molding has been optimized. By streamlining each stage, the TEll 160t achieved a total cycle time of 29 seconds, one second less than the customer’s target: an injection and holding time of 10 seconds, a cooling time of 12 seconds (PC requires longer cooling time to avoid warping), and an ejection time of 7 seconds. This 29-second cycle equates to a production output of 1,240 parts per hour, exceeding the 947 parts per hour achieved by a hydraulic press.

all electric injection molding machine 7-7

How is medical-grade PC processed in medical injection molding?

Medical-grade PC is a challenging material for medical injection molding, requiring precise temperature control, uniform melt distribution, and zero contamination. The TEll 160t successfully handles these materials with its specialized features for medical injection molding. The machine’s barrel features five independent heating zones, each maintaining a temperature range of 300–320°C. This eliminates hot spots that can cause material degradation. Furthermore, the TEll 160t’s hopper is equipped with a dehumidifier and dust filter, which is also critical for PC. Customers report zero defects due to moisture absorption after switching to the TEll 160t, compared to a 0.8% defect rate on their previous machine. Third, sensors built into the machine track melt pressure in real time, alerting the operator through the control panel before abnormalities impact part quality. For the blood glucose meter panel, this means each part has consistent clarity and strength, meeting the customer’s drop test durability requirements.

Medical grade PC material

Meeting Production Standards for Medical Device Products

Compliance is essential for medical injection molding. The TEll 160t injection molding machine streamlines regulatory compliance for blood glucose meter panel production in three key ways. First, the system logs data throughout the entire process, automatically recording every critical parameter for each part. This allows customers to retrieve records during audits quickly. Second, the system performs defect detection. An integrated camera inspects each blood glucose meter panel as it ejects, checking for dimensional errors, flash, or scratches. The system automatically sorts defective parts to reduce human error. Furthermore, the injection molding machine holds ISO certification. The TEll 160t complies with ISO 13485 (Quality Management for Medical Devices) and ISO 9001 standards, meaning customers can meet regulatory requirements without modifying the machine.

Delivering flawless blood glucose meter panel production

This case study demonstrates that the right electric injection molding machine can transform medical plastics production from a high-risk, inefficient process to a reliable and scalable one. For the customer, the TEll 160t achieved a cycle time of 29 seconds, a defect rate of 0.2%, and 100% compliance with FDA and ISO standards. For medical manufacturers producing similar precision parts, all-electric injection molding machines not only produce better parts but also reduce risk and cut costs.

 

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