Dry (Solid) Lubricants
With dry lubricants engineers can accommodate stacked tolerances while achieving enhanced functionality of medical devices. One such dry lubricant, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), helps reduce the coefficient of friction on medical device surfaces, enabling the moving pieces of such devices to slide, rotate and swivel smoothly. Overall, use of dry lubricants help increase the quality, precision and consistency of medical devices.
Medical Industry Applications of Dry (Solid) Lubricants
Many complex medical devices use PTFE coated dry lubricants for viability. Ready-made medical-grade dry lubricants have been engineered with high-purity carrier fluids to guarantee global regulations while meeting user stipulations. Some medical devices that use dry lubricants include:
- Guidewires
- Inferior vena cava filters
- Injection needles and scopes
Why Dry (Solid) Lubricants for Medical Devices?
Dry lubricants are cost-effective and contribute to superior medical device performance levels. While non-dry (solid) lubricants, like silicone and hydrocarbon-based lubricants, can also help devices reduce friction and increase motion, they often introduce cleanliness and contamination issues when they transfer residues to other surfaces.
Benefits of Dry (Solid) Lubricants for Medical Devices
The many benefits of dry (solid) lubricants for medical devices include:
- Reduced friction
- Improved functionality
- Stacked tolerance control
- High levels of precision
- Cost-effectiveness
- Compatibility with various surfaces, including plastics and metals
- Speed of assembly
- Low toxicity and non-flammable property (PTFE)
- Enhances device durability
- Improved safety