Dielectric Heating Technology Designs Create Modern Medical Manufacturing Solutions

Since 1939, Thermex-Thermatron Systems has led the development and manufacturing of industrial microwave (MW), radio frequency (RF), and thermal heating equipment. Working with global manufacturers, Thermex-Thermatron provides dielectric heating industry insights from its RF and MW heating technology experience. The company’s specialized design and engineering services as well as heat sealing systems for thermoplastic materials have shaped many medical manufacturing solutions we use today. 

The Technology to Support Progress in Medical Manufacturing Products

Every decade, the medical manufacturing field expands with new products, instruments, implants, and equipment for therapeutics, monitoring and diagnostics; from disposable to durable. Thermex-Thermatron’s high-power technology helps reinforce precision and product quality, facilitating the manufacturing processes that make these items safe for use.

Restorative Treatments and Diagnostic Equipment Are Now More Accessible

Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that according to the American Association of Blood Banks, patients as of 2013 needed about 36,000 units of blood each day. Physicians can use a patient’s blood to perform life-saving infusions as well as test for current or past diseases. When technology allows for a product such as a blood bag to be produced, this kind of medical manufacturing solution doesn’t just store blood. This is a solution that facilitates blood to be stored and transported while preserving the quality of its components; in doing so, the 36,000 units needed daily will last and deliver stronger benefits in the transfer. 

Some of these medical manufacturing solutions are predictive. According to Dr. Ivan V. Pacold, a cardiology specialist with over four decades of clinical experience, “Very low blood pressure in a person with heart disease could be a sign of heart failure.” It’s essential for welding technology to operate with diligent precision, so that a blood pressure cuff has the capacity to deliver the most accurate reading. Physicians use these products as tools to anticipate and solve for potential challenges ahead. Thermex-Thermatron’s over 80 years of experience developing dielectric heating technology has led to trustworthy medical products: from bags that safely collect blood to cuffs that allow doctors to accurately measure blood pressure.   

Consider that some patients today are needing longer-term care in hospitals while recovering from COVID’s sustained consequences. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information’s PubMed, patients spending long periods of time confined to hard mattresses can develop lesions called pressure ulcers: wounds caused when bodies lay immobile for too long against hospital beds. 

The NCBI conducted a study realizing that it becomes costly and unaffordable to replace these beds consistently enough to make an impact. This is where cheaper alternatives like water beds can offer substantial relief with beneficial savings. Medical manufacturers have improved wound care through new mattresses using Thermex-Thermatron technology. These advancements not only provide healing relief, they also make healing accessible for patients in low-income countries. 

The following are just some of the products produced serving modern medical manufacturing solutions around the world:

Bags:  Blood, IV, ostomy, enema, waste collection, containment

Cuffs:  Blood pressure, infusion, support

Mattresses: 

• Air or water support for wound care
• Water blankets for hyper / hypothermia surgical applications and long term care use
• A diverse array of pads, cushions, along with other inflatables/reinforced inflatables

Sheaths:  Disposable covers for diagnostic equipment, probes, and instruments to aid in infection control.

The Impact of Thermex-Thermatron’s Trusted Systems

Thermex-Thermatron offers a broad selection of presses with powerful, frequency-stabilized RF generators: the outcome of testing how to best leverage this technology for decades. These presses are engineered to be versatile, heavy-duty, and low friction, to empower comprehensive medical manufacturing solutions. 

In order to design and engineer the right RF welding and sealing systems, it’s important to understand the medical industry’s most complex specifications. Thermex-Thermatron generators create conservatively rated systems that maximize efficiency and speed; each one carefully designed to be able to repeat precise, accurate results repeatedly without obstacles. 

High volume medical manufacturing solutions need designs engineered primarily for thermoplastic welding and heat sealing from rolled materials. Thermex-Thermatron’s RF Welding Inline System integrates efficiency with powerful RF technology. The design includes a heavy-duty unwind stand and multiple options, including PLCs, welding stations, as well as indexers. The result is a durable, versatile, top-performing RF Inline System designed to deliver maximum productivity and throughput. 

Moreover, our Material Handling Systems offer further options and ease of use to improve the medical manufacturing process, including automation utilizing PLC. Thermex-Thermatron provides a Material Handling System to support you in utilizing labor more quickly and efficiently during any production cycle. Along with automated inline systems, we supply rotary and shuttle systems for both manual and semi-automatic production. 

Thermex-Thermatron constructs RF Welders and Sealers with output power capabilities from 1.2kW to 40kW to create medical manufacturing solutions. Our RF welding systems are designed to produce strong and uniform seals on a wide range of materials, whether used for packaging, medical manufacturing, fabric-related purposes, or automotive products. Every system can be customized to suit any range of industrial processes needed.

For Thermex and Thermatron inquiries, contact our Director of Sales, Dean Mancuso (dean@thermex-thermatron.com; 502/916-8972 or 502/243-5636).

For FIAB and Oteman inquiries, contact our Director of Business Development, Traci Evling (Traci@thermex-thermatron.com; 502/916-8981 or 904/662-2169).