Solvay Specialty Polymers (Alpharetta, Georgia / USA; www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com) has contracted with Promolding (The Hague / Netherlands; www.promolding.nl), a polymer design, engineering and injection moulding company, to design sterilisation cases and trays using "Radel" polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) instead of stainless steel or aluminium. According to Solvay, Radel PPSU is the material of choice in the application due to its toughness, excellent chemical resistance and ability to withstand repeated disinfection and autoclaving.

The initial concept, a response to growing cost pressures from medical OEMs, exploits the cost efficiencies of injection moulding against thermoforming, which has been the standard manufacturing process for the application since the 1990s. A high hole count reduces the surface area to avoid wet pack and also lowers overall case weight. Other benefits include the use of a matte finish, which reduces glare from operating room lights, and coloured resins, which allow for branding opportunities.

The second concept surrounds a honeycomb insert in the tray for securing instruments. These can be made with varying cell sizes to accommodate large or small instruments. Solvay has been granted design protection for the concepts in Europe, North America and China.

Solvay also announced in July that Radel PPSU has been chosen by a Chinese fan producer to produce high-pressure impellers – see Plasteurope.com of 18.07.2013.