MedTech Innovation + Entrepreneurship (MS-BME) Program Guest Lecturer
Our Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, Jeff Randall, PE, presented a lecture on Scientific Injection Molding Principles and Part Design for Thermoplastic Injection Molding to students at the MedTech Innovation + Entrepreneurship (MS-BME) program earlier this year. Participating in this program is part of a larger company-wide initiative to support the growth associated with the medical device industry, within area universities, colleges and high schools.
The MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship program is embedded within the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering (JBME) at UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University. Students that participate in the program are involved in an 11-month accelerated learning program that focuses on equipping students with real-world knowledge, enabling them to identify and prioritize unmet clinical needs, develop solutions, protect IP, and launch new solutions with a strategy for market access and adoption.
Jeff Randall was selected as a guest lecturer because he has supported the program previously by reviewing designs for Design For Manufacturability, because of his nearly 40 years of experience in the medical device manufacturing industry, and his long-standing tenure at MRPC.
During the two-hour virtual lecture, Jeff covered topics ranging from processing, scientific molding, tooling, part design, and material properties. Jeff leveraged his background, and expertise, to offer students practical applications and insights that attached knowledge to real-world scenarios. Learning outcomes included:
- How to review material datasheets when specifying polymer materials for devices.
- The four primary variables that impact the injection molding process (Plastic Temp, Flow Rate, Pressure and Cooling Rate / Time)
- Five basic rules for injection molded parts:
- Be Mindful of the Parting Line
- Maintain {mostly} uniform walls
- Use Radii properly to distribute stress, improve material flow and promote uniform shrinkage with minimal structural and aesthetic defects
- “Addition & Subtraction” Features such as ribs, bosses, undercuts and holes
- Provide Adequate Draft to facilitate part release from the mold
Throughout the MedTech Innovation and Entrepreneurship 11-month program, students will use these learning outcomes, as well as others to design injection molded parts, and build 3D printed injection molding tools, as necessary, to solve unmet clinical needs.
As an organization, MRPC believes in the importance of supporting MedTech programs and other similar learning opportunities. Programs like these benefit the medical device manufacturing industry, which in turn benefit patients needing care, their families and those that work in the industry.
For more information about the MedTech Innovation + Entrepreneurship (MS-BME) industry, we encourage you to visit their website.