Medical Case Study

UPC Cambridge

Challenge

For the last two decades, UPC have been consistently delivering market-leading technology products to some of the biggest names in pharmaceuticals. Known to many as the go-to problem solvers of product design. Resolving issues at all stages – from concept to industrialisation — when others have long given up.  When medical technology experts UPC Cambridge were faced with an urgent requirement for high precision injection mouldings in some unusual grades of materials, they turned to FRP for help.

Solution

As medical technology experts, leading pharma rely on UPC for lightning-fast product development, trusting them to get results first time – every time. Specially heated steel rapid tooling and FRP’s in-depth process knowledge combined to produce low volumes (i.e. typically <5,000 sets) of 5 different components in a range of high temperature polymers, including:

• 30% mineral filled POM – Ultraform® from BASF Corporation
• 43% glass and mineral filled LCP – Vectra® from Celanese Corporation
• 50% glass filled PAA – Solvay IXEF® from Solvay Speciality Polymers

These materials require tool temperatures at 100°C or higher, requiring heating circuits and advanced handling not usually available from standard rapid tooling & moulding vendors.

Result

FRP delivered high precision injection mouldings using uncommon grades of materials quickly and to the high quality levels UPC’s project require

“When it came to sourcing the critical parts for this medical device, we needed a responsive manufacturing partner capable of supplying parts & modifications very quickly and at the high quality levels our projects require.  This is a really tough combination to achieve and FRP have consistently delivered on every level.”

UPC Founder and Principal Engineer Bill Treneman