Technical Resources

Thought Leadership

The Future of Medical Device Manufacturing Automation: 3 Trends to Anticipate and Prepare for in 2025

The one-size-fits-all or a few-sizes-can-work approach to medical devices and manufacturing automation is becoming a thing of the past.

Thought Leadership

The Future of Medical Device Manufacturing Automation: 3 Trends to Anticipate and Prepare for in 2024

It’s no secret most manufacturers are under constant pressure to be more cost effective and faster to market.

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Here’s why you should embrace robots in medical device manufacturing

Whenever a new technology comes into focus, it seems many people are reluctant to embrace it.

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3 Key Trends for the Future of Medical Device Automation - 2023

The manufacturing industry has long faced a shortage of workers to design, control and maintain automation processes and equipment.

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How smart factories are changing the future of medical device manufacturing

Thanks to advances in manufacturing automation technologies, medical device manufacturers can get closer than ever before to achieving zero defects.

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7 Critical Factors for Predictable Quality in Medical Device Manufacturing

In their mission to create innovative products that enhance and save lives, medical device manufacturers today are challenged with several opposing priorities.

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Best practices for medical device prototyping

As the physical actualization of an engineer’s idea to solve a problem, a prototype serves a critical product development purpose in helping engineers learn how a product will function in actual use before creating and investing in production-ready manufacturing processes.

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Prioritize process validation to mitigate manufacturing risks

With patient lives, clinicians’ trust and their own businesses on the line, prudent medical device manufacturers do everything in their power to make sure their Class I, Class II and Class III products will perform as designed and intended in the field.

Thought Leadership

Micro-MIM: 4 Best Practices for Precisely Making Micro Metal Parts

As medical devices become smaller, weighing less than a few milligrams, medical device manufacturers are increasingly switching from machining to micro-metal injection molding (micro-MIM).

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Conquering the Big and Small Challenges of Micro-Manufacturing

Meeting the extremely tight tolerances of micro-sized components and features for critical medical devices requires absolute precision.

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3 keys to developing a successful DFM process

The manufacturing processes used to produce a new product are as important as the product characteristics that define and constrain it.

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Precision Injection Molding

Listen to Raghu Vadlamudi, Chief Research and Technology Director, Healthcare at DuPont, as he shares insights into our precision injection molding capabilities.

Thought Leadership

Best Practices for Molding Bioresorbable Materials for Medical Devices

Explore how bioresorbable materials enhance medical device performance—from drug delivery to load-bearing applications—while optimizing formulation and manufacturing for quality and efficiency.

Thought Leadership

Re-engineering existing products can boost your bottom line

More and more OEMs, especially those with crucial legacy products, are reviewing their programs to find efficiencies and fine-tune competitive edges.

Thought Leadership

It’s time to step up to Industry 4.0 – here’s how

Begin by evaluating your current business and portfolio needs and resources against your desired future state.

Case Study

Spectrum’s Automated Injection Molding Offers Smart, Scalable, and Repeatable Solutions

Automation in medical device injection molding is not just beneficial, it’s often essential due to the industry's strict quality, cleanliness, and traceability requirements.

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From Concept to Commercialization: Ben Stevens on Medical Flexibles

Meet Ben Stevens, Product Marketing Manager for Medical Flexibles.

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Matt Nipper on End-to-End Engineering Support for MedTech

Hear from Matt Nipper, Vice President of Engineering for Components and Device.

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Fluids and Flexibles: Inside Our Expert Engineering Team

Hear from Laura Favitta, Vice President of Engineering for Fluid Management & Medical Flexibles.

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Customer Service at the Core: A Message from Sean Pitts

Listen in as Sean Pitts, Commercial Vice President, shares how customer service is at the heart of what we do.

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Automation Cell

Automated robots are transforming medical device manufacturing as part of advanced production cells, operating continuously to improve efficiency, precision, and scalability.

Case Study

Automated Toolmaking System

Spectrum uses Mantle’s technology to introduce steel mold tooling early in the development process, cutting lead times and costs

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Spectrum Plastics Group_Costa Rica

Juan Carlos García, Gerente Comercial Regional de Dispositivos Médicos y Flexibles de Spectrum, habla sobre la expansión más reciente de las instalaciones de Costa Rica.

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Spectrum Plastics Group Costa Rica

Juan Carlos Garcia, Regional Business Manager for Spectrum Medical Device and Flexibles, talks about the newest Costa Rica facility expansion.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Pleasant Prairie

Take a virtual tour of our 161,000 sq. ft. Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, location. This state-of-the-art facility has a world-class ISO Class 7 cleanroom and an analytical lab.

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Spectrum Plastics Group: Engineering for Spectrum Flexibles

Watch this video to hear from Laura Favitta – our Director of Engineering for Spectrum Flexibles. Laura talks about our flexible film and packaging for both sterile and non-sterile applications as well as medical drapes and covers.

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Mantle Metal 3D Printing

Luke Thiele, Manufacturing Engineering Manager in Minneapolis, MN, talks about Spectrum's investment in advanced metal 3D printing capabilities with Mantle.

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Spectrum Plastics Group: Engineering Team

Angela Hu, Sr Engineering Manager, is responsible for new product introduction in both Minneapolis, MN and Pittsfield, MA. At Spectrum, we are focused on design support for manufacturability.

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New Cleanroom Capabilities at Spectrum Wisconsin Facility

Spectrum announces the grand opening of our new state-of-the-art cleanroom at the Spectrum Plastics Wisconsin facility.

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Fluid Management Plastic Components

Spectrum is the global leader and largest custom extruder of fluid management tubing for the medical device industry.

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Your First-Call Solutions Provider

At Spectrum, we are your first-call solutions provider for development through commercialization of critical components and medical devices.

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Spectrum Touching Lives

Spectrum has your next-generation solutions for critical healthcare applications. Our purpose-driven mission drives our innovation impacting people’s lives worldwide.

Case Study

Smoothly transferring a legacy program for a global cardiovascular OEM

When a supplier shifted business strategies, a globally leading cardiovascular OEM needed to find a new contract manufacturing partner – and fast – for one of its legacy Class II cardiac devices.

Case Study

Automation Solutions for Customer Challenges in Extrusion Assembly & Fluid Managements

Spectrum Plastics Group, a DuPont Business, was entrusted with a pivotal project for a medical device client involving crucial coil PVC tubing.

Case Study

Supply Chains in Motion: A Manufacturing Transfer Success Story

Spectrum shares the challenges, solutions, and what sets our team apart when facilitating a successful manufacturing transfer of medical devices or components.

Case Study

Getting fast-tracked complex Class III orthopedic device to market on time – and in spec

After working for 10 years on prototypes for a novel orthopedic device, a globally leading biotechnology company earned Breakthrough Therapy designation for fast-track status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Blog

Cleanroom Injection Molding

The cleanroom facility in Minneapolis is an ISO Class 8 room with 10,000 square feet of controlled environment.

Thought Leadership

Comprehensive Guide to Overmolding

This in-depth guide to overmolding covers design best practices, material selection, and more. Improve your design and manufacturing process with expert tips.

Case Study

Transforming reusable device to single-use improves patient safety and saves costs for global OEM

A large medical device OEM planned to convert a reusable orthopedic instrument kit to single-use disposable.

Case Study

Global OEM enlists us to take tool from ‘napkin sketch’ to life-saving medical device components

A world-leading cardiovascular OEM planned to create simpler and safer tools for precisely inserting and guiding leads into a patient’s heart.

Case Study

Adding Value to the Laser Manufacturing Process

Spectrum drills thousands of microscopic holes in heat-resistant polyimide film and adds value to the laser manufacturing process

Case Study

DFM with dual prototyping paths delivers repeatable micro-features for innovative cardiovascular device

A global cardiovascular market leader needed help producing a game-changing medical device for the treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Blog

Injection Mold Tooling

This detailed injection mold tooling guide covers essential components and design considerations for cost-effective injection molding tooling projects.

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Metrology Lab

Spectrum's inspection lab has a range of measurement capabilities, including high-precision coordinate measuring machines. See them in action.

Blog

6 Lessons Learned from One Year in the CEO’s Chair

6 lessons learned from John Wolf, Spectrum’s President and CEO. John is helping to steer the company into the future with innovative technology and inspiring teamwork.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Sandy

Take a virtual tour of our 100,000 sq. ft. Sandy, Utah, location that has more than 15k sq. ft. of Class 7 cleanroom and more than 10k sq. ft. of extrusion area.

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Spectrum Plastics Group Customer Service

Spectrum cares deeply for customers by providing fast response times with highly technical solutions to the toughest challenges.

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Spectrum Plastics Group Careers

Learn all about Life at Spectrum through the eyes of our team. In this video, our team members discuss their experience at Spectrum.

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Spectrum Plastics Group Minneapolis: Project Engineering

Our team is committed to our customers, and from concept to full-scale product, we assist them throughout the entire product life cycle.

Blog

Spectrum is Committed to Safety

As part of its goal of being a company with a positive and engaging culture, Spectrum is committed to keeping its team, the environment, and resources safe.

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Spectrum Cares About Social Responsibility

Spectrum Plastics Group cares deeply about corporate social responsibility and environmental, social & governance accountability.

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Spectrum Plastics Group Sandy: Engineering Team

Learn what challenging applications our team of engineers at Spectrum Plastics Group Sandy successfully take with our advanced catheter and extrusion technology capabilities.

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Spectrum Plastics Group Minneapolis: Engineering Team

Learn how Spectrum and our extensive team of engineers at Spectrum Plastics Group Minneapolis can support you on your next medical molding project.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Minneapolis

Take a virtual tour at Spectrum Minneapolis. Imagine your next complex, tight-tolerance injection molding, and assembly project becoming a reality with the help of our expert engineers and manufacturing teams.

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Advanced Additive Manufacturing

We have developed groundbreaking, proprietary AM technologies and processes to create virtually limitless 3D-printed components from medical-grade thermoplastic materials.

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Specialty & Medical Flexibles Business Unit

We are a manufacturer of custom film and flexible packaging solutions for healthcare, automation, food, and industrial applications.

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Femtosecond Lasers

Watch this video to learn about how femtosecond lasers are the fastest, highest-precision lasers in micromanufacturing today.

Thought Leadership

The Importance of Design for Manufacturing

Design for manufacturing involves efficiently designing or engineering an object. Learn how DFM works and how it improves the manufacturing process.

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Innovation

We continually innovate new thoughts and solutions to create true partnerships—enabling device development in ways only possible with our innovative technologies.

Thought Leadership

Measurement Systems for Specialty Medical Device Injection Molding

Measurement is critical in medical device molding. Careful assessment of parts produced by specialty molding is a strong indicator of success or failure.

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Implantable and Bioresorbable Materials in Injection Molding

Bioresorbables can transform medical devices, but only when safely integrated. Here’s what you need to know to incorporate them into your products.

Thought Leadership

Fundamentals of Micromolding: Manufacturing Miniature Plastic Components

Micromolding is a specialized manufacturing process that produces extremely small thermoplastic components. See how it works and how to optimize the process.

Thought Leadership

Additive Manufacturing Makes Complex, First-in-Industry Medical Devices Possible

Many next-generation medical devices are only possible with additive manufacturing (AM). See how AM works and the future technologies it empowers.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Costa Rica

Spectrum Plastics Group Costa Rica serves our Latin American customers for medical tubing as well as film and packaging.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Hermann

Spectrum Plastics Group Hermann, Missouri is an expert in the laser manufacturing of high-precision products.

Case Study

Struggling to find a solution for cardiac device component, global OEM entrusts our innovative engineers

To replace a tedious and expensive legacy process, a globally recognized leader in cardiac pacing solutions developed a unique solution to stabilization involving the use of a thin wall thermoplastic component integrated with over-molded silicone.

Thought Leadership

Critical components, technologies, and designs to consider for catheter delivery systems

The steerable catheter market is wide open for innovation as the variety of catheter-based procedures continues to grow.

Case Study

In a race against time, startup takes advantage of our pure medical expertise and vertical integration for novel Class III device

To gain U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and be first to market in the United States, a startup with a novel Class III mitral valve repair therapy needed to first fine-tune some of the product’s delivery system components.

Thought Leadership

PEEK and Beyond

Spectrum conducts a study analyzing several high-performance materials to understand their mechanical properties and how they affect production and material costs.

Case Study

Pushing the limits of micro manufacturing; creating implantable grade component to improve cardiovascular device

A global OEM came to us with a concept to replace an existing component used in the tip of a catheter, designed for ablation of cells on the heart to treat atrial fibrillation.

Case Study

Leading cardiovascular company leverages vertically integrated capabilities for intricate implantable component

A world-leading cardiovascular and endovascular medical technology company needed a specially designed micro seal for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

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Micromolding

Spectrum invests in state of the art equipment at our Pittsfield, Massachusetts facility. Watch the video to learn more.

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Dilators and Sheaths

Spectrum manufactures custom and standard dilator and sheaths that support interventional therapies. Contact us today to start your project!

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Molded Components and Subassemblies

Spectrum can extrude, mold and assemble all under one roof, making us a single-source partner. Watch the video to learn more.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Pittsfield

Pittsfield, Massachusetts Virtual Tour: Operates as a precision injection molder and specializes in high performance plastic injection molding and custom tooling services.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Glens Falls

Glens Falls virtual tour: Specializing in precision extrusion and catheter sub-assembly, and the manufacturing of acetal mandrel for catheter shafts.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Tucson

Tucson specializes in design, development & manufacturing of highly-engineered catheters as well as silicone extrusions, molded components and assemblies.

Case Study

Strong upfront engineering decreases time-to-market & capital costs

Spectrum Plastics Group explains why a strong upfront engineering approach decreases time-to-market & capital costs. Learn more.

Thought Leadership

The Extrusion of Acetal Core Mandrel at Six Sigma Quality Levels

Spectrum Plastics combines multi-layer extrusion technology with six sigma methodologies to deliver the highest quality acetal core mandrel.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Jersey Shore

Jersey Shore is recognized for being a pioneer in the manufacture of custom microbore tubing, high pressure braided tubing, and catheter delivery systems.

Case Study

Medical Additive Manufacturing: Innovating catheter capabilities at the component level

Case study: Learn how Spectrum Plastics Group is innovating the process of bringing medical devices to market with additive manufacturing.

Thought Leadership

The Effect of Crystallinity on PEEK Performance in Extrusions

Spectrum performed a study to quantify the performance differences of the effect of crystallinity on PEEK extrusions. Get the results here.

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Facility Tour: Spectrum Plastics Group Reynosa

Spectrum Plastics Reynosa, Mexico supplies plastic components, sub-assemblies and finished devices to the medical and pharmaceutical industries.

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Steerable and Deflectable Catheter Capabilities

Spectrum develops and manufacture standard and customized configurations of steerable catheter delivery systems to meet your device needs.

Case Study

Long-term partnership & process optimization

Learn how Spectrum successfully launched a totally new approach to small vein reconnection that has gained worldwide acceptance in this case study.

Thought Leadership

Well Over Decades Later...The Saga of Non-DEHP PVC and Medical Devices

Spectrum discusses the evolution of DEHP and Non-DEHP PVC in Medical Devices from a regulatory perspective. Download the full white paper for free.

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Electronic Integration for Catheter Assemblies

Our catheter assembly expertise includes integration of miniature electronic components into catheter assemblies. Watch this video to learn more.

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Film and Packaging Capabilities

Watch this video to learn more about Spectrum Plastics Group, an extruder and converter of medical films for conventional and advanced medical packaging.

Thought Leadership

Let's Talk about PEEK and Crystallinity

PEEK provides a higher strength material for medical applications. Learn about the role crystallinity plays in PEEK's performance.

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Catheter Manufacturing

Spectrum's catheter manufacturing and vertically integrated services allow us to offer customers a single source solution for concept to production.

Case Study

How an easy-open package becomes thinner, faster, greener at less cost

The whole package: how a new, easy-open package becomes thinner, faster, greener – at less cost – in this case study by Spectrum Plastics Group.

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RF Tipping Capabilities

Watch this video to learn how Spectrum specializes in RF thermoforming including tipping, flaring, and bonding of all thermoplastics from 1F to 32F.

Thought Leadership

Choosing Ultra Engineering Polymers for Extruded Medical Applications

Spectrum provides guidance for choosing and specifying high strength polymers for medical devices and extruded components. Download the full white paper here.

Case Study

Making next generation medical device manufacturing easy

Learn how Spectrum Plastics Group helped launch an innovative new surgical device for knee reconstruction procedures in this case study.

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Insert molding and overmolding

Watch this video to learn about Spectrum's insert molding and overmolding molding capabilities for thermoplastic and silicone polymers.

Thought Leadership

PEEK and Medical Tubing: Here's What You Need to Know

PEEK is gaining use in medical applications as it provides a higher strength alternative to more common polymers.

Case Study

A takeover tool study – blood filtration systems for surgery

A takeover tool study. Learn how Spectrum Plastics Group manufactures blood filtration systems for surgery in this case study.

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Your Trusted Full-service Partner

Watch our video highlighting these technology platforms and learn about our full spectrum of product offerings.

Case Study

Leveraging engineer-to-engineer expertise for customer automation

Learn how Spectrum Plastics Group leverages engineer-to-engineer expertise for customer-based automation in this case study.

Thought Leadership

Key Considerations When Selecting a Medical Injection Molder

Spectrum Plastics Group identifies key considerations for selecting a medical injection molder. Download the full report for free.

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Team up with the extrusion experts

Watch this video to learn how Spectrum Plastics provides a full range of tubing solutions & technical capabilities, unique to the medical device industry.

Case Study

A breakthrough medical procedure assisted by Spectrum Plastics Group

Learn how Spectrum Plastics Group extruded complex specialty tubing aiding in a breakthrough procedure that improves women's health in this case study.

Case Study

Delivering on LSR market demands for critical cardiac component

In a heated race against competitors, a global medical device company came to us for help perfecting a silicone seal component to meet a new ISO standard.

Case Study

From development to deployment in six months flat

In today’s medical device marketplace, timing is everything. A company needed to develop and manufacture a surgical device that would improve ease of use over existing models and eliminate failure modes.

Case Study

Vertical integration adds value – and viability

A medical device OEM came to us with a problem. One of their products, a device used for rapid sternal access in the administration of medications, was occasionally failing during training – a serious issue in the emergency situations for which the device was designed.

Thought Leadership

The Science of Multi-Layer Extruded Tubing

Spectrum Plastics discusses the multi-layer coextrusion process of dissimilar and similar polymers. Download the full white paper here.

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In-house precision tool making

Watch this video to see how the in-house expertise of our mold designers lets us collaborate with our customers in every element of the product lifecycle.

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Not Just a Molding Component Manufacturer

Spectrum Plastics is a full-service medical device manufacturer with the ability & expertise to execute projects across the stage gate innovation process.