Panacol has developed a new plastic bonder that is certified to USP Class VI biocompatibility standards for medical device assembly applications. Vitralit® UV 7030 features high elongation at break, excellent adhesion to difficult-to-bond plastics, and rapid curing under UV light.
Image Credit: Panacol
The various material selections and pairings of flexible tubing and rigid connectors often create significant assembly challenges in high volume production. Materials used to create infusion lines, catheters, and similar medical devices may include TPU, TPE, PEN, polyamides, Pebax®, polycarbonate, ABS and PEEK. These thermoplastics and thermoplastic elastomers provide many desirable properties, but some combinations can be difficult to bond. After assembly, these materials are challenged by torsional stresses at the points of transition between the soft tubing and the hard connector. Panacol developed the adhesive Vitralit® UV 7030 to specifically address these complex issues.
Vitralit® UV 7030 is a one-component, solvent-free UV curable acrylic adhesive. It can be cured with light energy in the broad UV-A spectrum, or with LED systems that produce either 365 or 405 nm wavelength. This adhesive cures in seconds at layer thicknesses of a few 100 µm, ensuring high bond strength immediately after UV exposure. A key feature of Vitralit® UV 7030 is its high elongation at break, >250%, combined with good tensile strength. When exposed to black light, Vitralit® UV 7030 fluoresces, which enables visual process control. Vitralit® UV 7030 is certified to USP Class VI standards and suitable for typical sterilization processes including gamma, EtO and autoclave.
About Panacol
Panacol-Elosol GmbH was founded in 1978 as a German subsidiary of the Swiss Panacol AG in Frankfurt. In 2008, Panacol was acquired by Munich-based Dr. Hönle AG, a leading global supplier of industrial UV equipment technology. As a member of the Hönle Group, Panacol is a knowledgeable and reliable provider of adhesives, coatings, and UV/LED curing equipment for OEM and contract manufacturers around the world.