Products Machined for Medical & Life Sciences Include:
Orthopedic Instruments and Equipment
PEEK Implants
Spinal Devices
Surgical/Trauma Instruments and Components
We precision machine plastics for the best advantage in medical and life sciences:
AIP precision machines your custom devices and components to meet the critical performance demanded by the medical & life sciences industry. We take our decades of material expertise and use it to carefully select the right polymer and composite materials for your medical application.
Our products follow strict industry standards and are hygienic, radiolucent and designed to be biocompatible. When you partner with AIP, you partner with the plastics professionals.
We machine sterilization-compatible plastics and reduce the threat of metallic cross-contamination by machining only plastics.
We select thermoplastics that don’t obstruct X-rays like radiopaque metals do for minimally invasive procedures.
AIP machines ISO:10993 standard-compliant materials which have less potential for stress shielding than metallic implants.
PEEK (PolyEtherEtherKetone) comes in several different grades, each offering excellent chemical and hydrolysis resistance. Very similar to PPS, PEEK has inherently good wear and abrasion resistance, but outshines PPS with its ability to be used continuously to 480°F (250°C). PEEK carries a V-O flammability rating, exhibits very low smoke and toxic gas emission when exposed to flame and is available in several different grades.
PEEK does not operate as well as PAI or PBI at extreme temperature (above 500°F, 260°C), but it is a much better choice in situations requiring chemical resistance, steam resistance or a low moisture absorption rate.
A wide range of extruded and compression molded shapes and sizes are available for machining.
PEI (Polyetherimide) is a high-strength amorphous polymer often branded as ULTEM.
Characterized by excellent heat and flame resistance with a flammability rating of 94-V-0, ULTEM can perform continuously up to 340°F (171°C). ULTEM is also hydrolysis resistant, as well as highly resistant to most acidic solutions.
Additionally, ULTEM has one of the lowest thermal conductivity ratings and the highest dielectric properties of thermoplastic materials, outperforming both Nylon and DELRIN.
Characterized by excellent heat and flame resistance, ULTEM has the highest dielectric strength of any thermoplastic.
ULTEM is commonly used for a variety of structural components requiring high strength and rigidity at elevated temperatures.
PPSU (Polyphenylsulfone) is an amorphous high performance thermoplastic made from RADEL R Resin.
Offering improved impact and chemical resistance over Polysulfone (UDEL) and Polytherimide (ULTEM), this material has also been tested for notched izod impact resistance as high as 13 ft.-lbs/in.
The impact resistance, coupled with a heat deflection temperature of 405°F (207°C) and virtually unlimited steam auto clave resistance, make RADEL R PPSU the material of choice for many reusable medical components.
RADEL R PPSU is FDA and NSF-compliant under standards 51 and 61.
MELDIN products include a range of Polyimide and thermoplastic materials. Characterized by retaining their properties for continuous use of up to 600°F (315°C), MELDIN materials have superior strength and rigidity and have self-lubricating properties.
Applications include medical devices, industrial equipment, aircraft, aerospace systems and any environment where high loads and speeds—combined with elevated temperatures—are the primary concern.
UHMW-PE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) is a linear, low-pressure Polyethylene resin. The weight of UHMW-PE resins is about ten times greater than that of other HDPE resins.
UHMW-PE has a significantly higher abrasion resistance and impact strength compared to most plastics and with a low coefficient of friction due to its self-lubricating, non-stick surface, UHMW-PE finds several applications in the defense and medical industries.
PTFE (Polytetrafluouroethylene) is a semi-crystalline high performance thermoplastic. Offering excellent chemical resistance and sliding properties, PTFE finds many applications in seals, housings, linings and bearings.
PTFE also maintains very good UV resistance, hot water resistance and electrical insulation at higher temperatures.
There are several different modified PTFE materials available with unique properties. Many of these modified grades offer greatly reduced deformation percentages under load, as well as a lower coefficient of friction.
Acetal (Polyoxymethylene) is a semi-crystalline material that provides high strength and stiffness while maintaining a low coefficient of friction and good wear properties in wet environments. Excellent for high moisture or submerged applications, Acetal significantly outperforms Nylon in these environments.
Acetal also has a high resistance to a variety of chemicals and is used for electrical insulators, industrial bearings, rollers, gears and scraper blades. However, unmodified Acetal does not perform as well as nylons in general abrasive wear applications.
Several different grades of Acetals are available: PTFE-filled Acetals with lower coefficients of friction (ideal where impact strength and wear capability are needed), glass-reinforced Acetals with a much higher strength and greater heat resistance and FDA-compliant Acetals for medical- and food-related applications.
An acceptable material for a broad range of general applications in the Aerospace & Defense, Medical and Power & Energy industries at temperatures below 250°F (121°C), there are a wide range of extruded shapes and sizes available for machining.
PAI (PolyamideImide) is the highest performing, melt-processible plastic, built from TORLON Resin. TORLON materials maintain strength and stiffness to 500°F (260°C), have excellent wear resistance and are able to endure harsh thermal, chemical and stress conditions.
There are several TORLON grades available for PAI, including TORLON 4203 (electrical and high strength), TORLON 4301 (general purpose wear), TORLON 4XG (glass-reinforced) and TORLON 4XCF (carbon-reinforced).
The compressive strength of TORLON PAI (unfilled) is double that of PEEK, and about 30% higher than that of ULTEM PEI. However, special engineering attention should be used when designing TORLON components in wet environments, as its moisture absorption rate is not as low as other high performance plastics.
Complex Prototypes Machined with Precision in As Little As 10 Business Days
Orthopedic Instruments and Equipment
PEEK Implants
Spinal Devices
Surgical/Trauma Instruments and Components
AIP offers a complex quality assurance process from concept to completion. We focus on product quality, fast delivery and cost-effective options. Our decades of experience in aerospace machining allow us to offer you our guidance and expertise every step of the way.
Engineering & Consulting
Design Conceptualization
Precision Machining
Quality Assurance
Finished Product
“The technical expertise, along with personal attention and prompt responses make AIP a valuable company to work with.”
- Dr. Rohit Khanna
Halifax Medical Center
Associate Engineer
