Medical and healthcare buyers increasingly specify plastic gears, bearings and wear parts instead of metal, wood or glass. Here is where they are used, why they work, and what to watch out for.
This guide is written for engineers, purchasers and project managers who need a practical answer, not a resin data sheet.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines plastic gears, bearings and wear parts by three things: the base resin, the format or dimension, and the performance or certification level it has to meet. Typical options in this category include module 0.3 to 8; PTFE and oil filled compounds; bore tolerance H7 to H9. Materials most often specified are Polyether Ether Ketone, Polyoxymethylene, UHMWPE, Glass Filled Nylon, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the medical and healthcare sector the decision is usually driven by biocompatibility and sterilisation stability, with full traceability as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include surgical instrument handles, IV sets and tubing, syringe barrels.
These figures are typical for commercial grades and should be confirmed against the supplier's certificate for your specific lot.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polyamide | 1.13-1.15 g/cm³ | 60-85 MPa | -40°C to 120°C |
| UHMWPE | 0.93-0.94 g/cm³ | 30-45 MPa | -150°C to 80°C |
| Polytetrafluoroethylene | 2.15-2.20 g/cm³ | 20-35 MPa | -200°C to 260°C |
Polyoxymethylene is frequently the default selection here: POM is the standard replacement for small metal parts that must hold tight tolerances.
Typical medical and healthcare users specify this product for the following jobs.
Beyond the base resin, most suppliers offer UV stabilised, food contact, flame retardant, anti-static and recycled content versions of the same product. Ask which additive package is included, because it is often the difference between a part that lasts three years and one that lasts ten.
The route below is the one most factories use for this type of part.
Secondary operations such as printing, welding, machining and assembly are often cheaper to do in the same factory, and they reduce the risk of mismatch between components.
These are the criteria that actually predict whether the part will perform in service.
Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.
Standard packing is export cartons on fumigation-free pallets, with custom labelling, barcode and retail packing available. We also handle consolidated containers and door to door delivery.
For standard sizes and colours the minimum is usually one pallet or one production run; for custom tooling the economic minimum depends on the tooling cost amortised over the expected volume. Send us your annual volume and we will calculate the break even point.
Yes. {mat1} is one of our regular materials for this item, and we can supply virgin, modified and certified grades with full traceability. Material certificates and test reports are issued per batch.
Standard production tolerance follows the relevant ISO or DIN tolerance class for the process; tighter tolerances are possible after machining or grinding, but they add cost. Define the tolerance only on the functional dimensions.
Yes. Standard samples are normally free of charge and shipped within three working days; custom samples are charged at cost and credited against the first production order.
Share your specification and quantity with us and we will recommend the most cost effective material, tooling route and packing method for your market.
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