When most people think about sustainability in manufacturing, they think “green”—as in using less energy per unit of output, using materials that are more environmentally friendly, generating less waste, etc. These are all worthy components of sustainable manufacturing, aimed at reducing the consumption of limited resources so that our businesses can continue to grow today and prosper tomorrow.

In the medical sector, more and more equipment and casings are glued together, rather than screwed or plugged. At BBraun, a leading manufacturer of medical technology and pharmaceutical products, a production step was recently examined by Supratec Syneo, a sales partner of the ViscoTec brand preeflow in France.

We use an acrylic UV adhesive to bond and coat a complex medical device, and get areas where there is incomplete curing. How can we improve this?

A caulking sealant has three basic functions: filling a gap between two or more substrates; forming a barrier through the physical properties of the sealant itself and by adhesion to the substrate; and maintaining sealing properties for the expected lifetime, service conditions, and environments.

From May 15-19, nearly 300 pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape professionals—including scientists, professors, CEOs, VPs and sales professionals—gathered at the Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Convention Center for the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council’s (PSTC) Tape Summit 2017.

FLEXcon Co. Inc. recently collaborated with Polestar Technologies in Needham Heights, Mass., a company that specializes in high-tech sensors and monitoring equipment. Optical sensor technology is being used with life-support systems such as the mixed gas rebreathers used by emergency personnel, as well as for recreational diving.

The flexible packaging market is projected to expand from $102.19 billion in 2017 to $131.65 billion by 2022, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2%, according to  a recent report from MarketsandMarkets™. Demand is growing for the global flexible plastic packaging market due to an increase in manufacturing activities and rising demand for conveniently packaged products.

Global demand for labels in pharmaceutical applications is projected to increase 7.1% annually to 5.1 billion sq m in 2020, the fastest growth rate among major label markets, according to a new study from The Freedonia Group.

Solvent-based contact cements, such as those based on chloroprene rubber, were traditionally used for this application. They work very well and are available in spray or aerosol versions. However, many users are now reluctant to use them because of emissions regulations, safety concerns or disposal issues.

Electronic components that contain a die require a path by which excess heat can be removed from the component package. In low-voltage plastic-encapsulated microcircuits, the heat may simply travel by conduction through the die attach and the die paddle for dissipation through the bottom of the package.