Saint-Gobain Medical introduces FreeWave specialised silicone laser processing. Device engineers are enabled to customise and create previously impracticable part designs for the medical device market.
“Features such as unique hole shapes and locations are now a reality” said Krissy Dempsey, marketing manager for Saint-Gobain’s Medical Business. Design for Manufacturing (DFM) has historically forced engineers to make concessions in the name of manufacturability, rather than produce the optimal component needed for their project.
“Up until now, with the previous limitations in silicone processing and mechanical secondary operations, engineers were bound to the rules of DFM in order to successfully design a silicone moulded part with intricate features or finishing elements,” said Dempsey, “but now with FreeWave processing, engineers are no longer restricted by those constraints and are free to design the best possible part for unsurpassed medical device performance.”
FreeWave allows for quick, iterative prototyping that reduces the design development cycle. Quality and reliability are increased by the elimination of punch tooling as well as minimised part handling.