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Top Applications of PS / HIPS Thermoformed Medical Device Trays in the medical and pharmaceutical Industry

2026-10-02 Plastic News 0 views

Medical and pharmaceutical buyers increasingly specify thermoformed medical device trays 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.

Product Overview

This category covers a family of products rather than a single item. In practice a buyer defines thermoformed medical device trays 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 sterilisation compatible grades; custom cavity and instrument layouts; rigid and semi rigid designs. Materials most often specified are Polystyrene, Polypropylene, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polycarbonate, 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 pharmaceutical blisters, device trays, surgical kit trays.

Key Material Properties

The table below summarises the values that usually decide the material choice.

MaterialDensityTensile strengthService temperature
Polyethylene Terephthalate1.35-1.40 g/cm³50-70 MPa-40°C to 70°C
Polypropylene0.90-0.91 g/cm³25-40 MPa-10°C to 100°C
Polystyrene1.04-1.06 g/cm³30-50 MPa-20°C to 70°C

Polystyrene is frequently the default selection here: HIPS is the default thermoforming sheet for food packaging and appliance liners.

Where Thermoformed medical device trays Is Used in medical and pharmaceutical

Typical medical and pharmaceutical users specify this product for the following jobs.

  • IV and catheter kits – validated sealing
  • pharmaceutical blisters – traceability
  • device trays – sterilisation compatibility
  • diagnostic packs – traceability
  • surgical kit trays – traceability

Common Grades and Variants

  • Polystyrene based: rigid and glossy
  • Polyethylene Terephthalate based: excellent barrier to CO2 and moisture
  • Polycarbonate based: outstanding impact strength (250x glass)
  • Polypropylene based: lowest density among commodity plastics

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.

Processing and Finishing Options

Each step below has its own control points, and skipping one of them is where most defects start.

  • Validation sealing
  • Pressure forming
  • Die cutting
  • Tyvek lidding

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.

How to Specify Thermoformed medical device trays Correctly

Work through these points in order and most specification mistakes disappear.

  1. run peel strength testing on every production lot
  2. confirm the sterilisation method with the material
  3. control tooling wear to avoid trim burrs
  4. validate the seal process to ISO 11607
  5. specify particle and cleanliness requirements

Send this list to your supplier with the drawing and you will receive comparable quotations from every factory you contact.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum order quantity for thermoformed medical device trays?

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.

Do you offer samples?

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.

What tolerance can be achieved?

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.

What packing and shipping options are available?

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.

Can you produce thermoformed medical device trays in Polystyrene?

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.

Conclusion

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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