Specialty Lubrication Solutions for Medical Components
MOVING YOUR WORLD by Optimizing Medical Device Performance
Medical device engineers often contact lubrication companies after encountering excessive or unexpected friction or wear in mechanical or electromechanical device mechanisms, or between components. This can be uncovered during the proof-of-concept, design, verification, manufacture or even field trials of medical devices. Friction and wear can compromise device performance and perhaps even the success rate of a medical procedure. However, protecting against friction and wear is not the only way that a gel or fluid can improve device performance.
As new device solutions in MedTech demand innovative and exacting design, our precision products are often called on to perform functions outside those of “traditional” lubrication. This includes controlling free motion, reducing assembly force, eliminating undesirable noise, and sealing against environmental contamination or ingress.
Biocompatible Lubricants You Can Trust
While a commonly used term, an official ‘medical-grade’ certification does not exist for lubricants. In critical applications where patient exposure is a possibility, lubricants backed by biocompatibility testing should be considered.
Our NYEMED® biocompatible product line is tested to ISO 10993-10: Skin Irritation (Direct Contact), ISO 10993-5: Cytotoxicity (Direct Contact) and ISO 10993-11: Acute Systemic Toxicity (Direct Injection). Products from our NYEMED® product line demonstrate sterilization stability
Your Partner from Development to Post-Production
Leading medical device, biopharmaceutical, engineering, contract design and manufacturing organizations have partnered with FUCHS for over 30 years. As a trusted partner, we are proud to support our customers along every step in their product development cycle. FUCHS is your partner in selecting and designing the right formulations that serve not only to lubricate, but also to seal, protect, and control motion. Our products perform in a vast array of critical applications including powered surgical tools & equipment, medical devices, drug delivery devices, assembly processes, robotic automation, and diagnostic equipment and instrumentation.
Manufacturing & Testing to the Highest Quality
High-quality standards with fully qualified and consistent processes are critical to reduce risk when selecting supply partners for medical applications. As an ISO 13485:2016 certified manufacturer, our quality management system meets regulatory requirements for medical devices and related services. Our manufacturing processes are strictly followed and documented to support our customers’ need for product traceability as well as audit and regulatory support.
Our innovative lubricants are conceptualized, developed, and extensively tested in our state-of-the-art research and development laboratories. At FUCHS we have the capability to replicate your conditions to ensure optimal performance in your application. We also have an ISO 14644-1 Class 7 Cleanroom that can be adapted to suit your needs.
Lubrication Solutions for Medical Components
Viscous damping greases/gels can smooth operation, eliminate noise, and reduce the impact of environmental factors, e.g. by sealing gaps and orifices. These products provide viscous drag on moving parts which controls motion, enhances haptics, and minimizes free-motion problems, such as backlash, stick-slip, or coasting. Our damping products possess controlled flow properties, low oil separation, and good compatibility with plastics. Our products can also be used as an assembly aid.
The correct lubricant can help extend the life of your O-ring and seals while also improving their reliability. FUCHS offers lubricants compatible with a wide range of plastics and elastomers.
Microelectronics are proliferating in medical devices, requiring increasing numbers of connectors and contacts. The benefits of lubricating electrical connectors and switches in medical devices include; protection against sterilizing conditions, dust, reagents, moisture, and corrosive substances as well as reducing friction and wear and lowering insertion force.
We offer a wide range of lubricants, from impregnating oils for sintered bearings to ultrafiltered greases for precision rolling element bearings. Greases can provide the elastohydrodynamic lubricating film needed to reduce friction and wear, while also serving as an effective seal to protect from contaminants and moisture.
Gear lubricants meet broad temperature requirements without oxidizing or evaporating. Lubricants minimize friction, inhibit wear and corrosion, dampen noise and control free motion.
Mechanisms require lubricants that exhibit stay-in-place properties, while minimizing friction, inhibiting wear, rust, and corrosion, damping noise, and controlling free motion.
Lubricants reduce torque, increase efficiency, and extend performance life.