Medical and pharmaceutical buyers increasingly specify vacuum formed prototype and short run parts instead of injection moulding or corrugated board. Here is where they are used and why they work.
Everything here can be checked on a real sample before you commit to a production order.
This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines vacuum formed prototype and short run 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 low cost machined or printed tooling; single cavity prototype tools; lead times of 5 to 15 working days. Materials most often specified are Polycarbonate, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol, and the choice between them changes stiffness, temperature resistance, chemical behaviour and price.
In the medical and pharmaceutical sector the decision is usually driven by validated sealing and sterilisation compatibility, with traceability as a secondary requirement. Typical end uses include IV and catheter kits, pharmaceutical blisters, device trays.
The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.
| Material | Density | Tensile strength | Service temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene | 1.04-1.06 g/cm³ | 30-50 MPa | -20°C to 80°C |
| Polycarbonate | 1.20 g/cm³ | 55-70 MPa | -40°C to 120°C |
| Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol | 1.27 g/cm³ | 45-55 MPa | -40°C to 70°C |
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is frequently the default selection here: ABS is the default choice when a part needs a glossy, paintable, impact-resistant surface.
In the medical and pharmaceutical sector, these are the applications where this product has proven itself.
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 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.
A new tool typically takes 25 to 45 days depending on cavity count and complexity, followed by T1 samples within one week. Existing tools can usually start production within 10 to 15 days of order confirmation.
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.
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.
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.
Our team supplies vacuum formed prototype and short run parts to medical and pharmaceutical customers worldwide, with samples, material certificates and full inspection reports available before mass production.
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