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bl2411-medical-enclosures-c

ENCLOSURE ROBUSTNESS: SPECIFYING THE RIGHT PLASTIC

Healthcare can be a challenging environment for electronics. Devices may not be subjected to the rigours of factory life. But the average hospital can be much tougher on devices than perhaps an office or a domestic setting.

Medical devices may be used around the clock by multiple operators with differing levels of training. This relentless use means that devices must withstand a lot of punishment. And they must continue to look good while doing so: nobody wants to be treated with equipment that appears worn out.

In the past, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) was the go-to plastic for medical device enclosures because it is strong, durable and looks good. ABS is resistant to impact – and it can stand repeated use without cracking, warping or showing signs of abrasion.

Despite its strength, ABS is also light – minimizing the weight of handheld devices without compromising their structural integrity. It is also resistant to many common cleaning agents, disinfectants and chemical sterilization processes.

But ABS has one big weakness: it is vulnerable to degradation or discoloration by UV light. For this reason, more enclosures are being molded from Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) – even for devices that will be used indoors.

Just like ABS, UV-stable ASA is strong (even in colder temperatures) and highly resistant to chemicals. But it has better color fastness and surface gloss retention than ABS. This longer-lasting shine matters in healthcare and social care environments because it makes cleaning easier.

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