WESTLAKE PLASTICS EUROPE - Manufacturer High performance polymer shapes (rods, sheets, films) & machining of medical plastics

Westlake Plastics manufactures medical grade polymer stock shapes in rods and sheets for orthopaedic trial parts and instruments, dental applications and other surgical tools and accessories requiring medical grade standards and biocompatibility. Within its range of medical grade polymers, Westlake offers: - Polycarbonate (PC) gamma sterilized under its Zelux® GS brand name - Polyetherimid (PEI) under its Tempalux® brand name - Polypropylen (PP) under its Propylux® brand name - Polyphenylsulfon (PPSU) under the Radel® brand name - Ultra High-Molecular Weight Polethylen (UHMW-PE) under its Lennite® brand name These polymers can be used for various medical and surgical tools, knee / hip / shoulder trial parts for orthopaedic implant kits and various other medical grade applications (sterilizable cases and containers) requiring high biocompatibility specifications (USP Class VI and ISO10993).

PROPYLUX® HS products deliver the required attributes for orthopedic applications including biocompatibility, chemical resistance and dimensional stability. Launched in 2004 by Westlake Plastics Europe, PROPYLUX® HS has gained wide acceptance by orthopaedic device manufacturers in Europe. At a similar price point as Pomalux, PROPYLUX® HS offers superior dimensional stability performance when processed through repeated 134°C Prion autoclaving cycles.The material also provides excellent chemical resistance to disinfecting and cleaning solutions and exhibits a very good balance of strength, toughness and ductility. As such, PROPYLUX® HS is well suited for use in applications including trial heads and cups for hip implants, knee provisional trials and impactor applications. The PROPYLUX® HS product line consists of 15 colors and 13 diameters. All colored materials are made with FDA compliant ingredients and the shaped rods have been tested and comply with key parts of ISO 10993.

With the new tightening procedures for cleaning and disinfecting implant ancillaries, PPSU offers an interesting solution guaranteeing a longer life cycle for products. Though it costs usually more than other medical grade polymers (POM, PP), it can nevertheless prove to be more economical in the long term due to its durability. This is especially true for complex designs which are expensive to machine. PPSU does not have any problems with the cleaning & pre-disinfection products. Our material is lot controlled, serialized and is delivered with a certificate of conformance. Coloured resin has been tested under ISO10993/5/10/11/18. The material is not for permanent implantation. PPSU behaves very well after a large number of sterilisation cycles in an autoclave at 134°C/273°F, it can be sterilized through other methods (ETO; gamma, plasma, dry heat). it is polishable for a perfect finish.

ULTEM HU1000® (PEI, polyetherimid) offers an excellent dimensional stability after autoclaving. It is preferable to Acetal Coplymer for designs where superior mechanical characteristics are required. This material is radio transparent. Our medical grade stock shapes (rods and sheets) are lot controlled and delivered with a certificate of conformance. The material is not for permanent implantation. It is available in 5 standard colours: black, blue, brown, gray , green. It is a well known material for traumatology and orthopaedic applications (instruments and trial parts).

Medical grade Zelux® GS polycarbonate (PC) is produced from resin formulated to meet the stringent performance characteristics and requirements of the healthcare industry. Suitable for EtO gas and limited autoclaving sterilization, the resin also has proprietary color enhancement technology to reduce color shift caused by gamma radiation. It can be used for various medical applications such as surgical equipment, instrument components, housings and covers, single use surgical devices. Our Zelux GS material is available in rods or sheets. Other engineering window grade polycarbonate is also available.

Absylux® ABS is a low cost engineering plastic that is easy to machine and fabricate. Absylux is an ideal material for structural applications when impact resistance, strength, and stiffness are required. It is widely used for machining pre-production prototypes since it has excellent dimensional stability and is easy to paint and glue. Natural (beige) and black Absylux are FDA compliant for use in food processing applications. Carbon-powder-filled conductive material with high strength and stiffness, and relatively high impact strength. This material is easily machined and fabricated into close tolerance finished parts. The same type of polymer also exists in Non-carbon-filled anti-static material (Absylux® SD-A) which has high impact strength, good tensile and flexural strength, and is easily machined. Available in natural or black, it can be easily thermoformed in thinner gauges, and is bondable with WELD-ON® 1707.

Medical grade Lennite UHMWPE is produced from premium resins im accordance with ASTM specification F648 and International Standard ISO 5834-1 for surgical implants. Westlake Plastics' proprietary manufacturing processes and stringent quality control permit a well consolidated and consistent fabricated form. Recommended sterilization techniques include EtO gas, cold sterilization, and limited gamma irradiation. Often used for total hip and knee joint prosthesis, various other surgical implants and medical devices.

Manufactured from Kynar® polyvinylidene fluoride resin (PVDF), this material offers excellent corrosion and chemical resistance at both ambient and elevated temperatures. PVDF is also inherently UV stable, mechanically tough, abrasion and flame resistant. Common applications of this material are chemical process/storage tanks, fluid handling fittings, Semiconductor equipment, Fire-safe components, DI water systems...Westlake Plastics offers it in sheets, rods and films in natural beige colour as a standard.

Zelux W is an optically clear engineering plastic with excellent dimensional stability and good strength and stiffness over a wide range of service temperatures. Zelux is used for a wide variety of electrical applications due to its low moisture absorption, good electrical insulating properties (Dielectric Strength 760 v/mil) and an excellent flammability rating (UL Yellow Card file E240206). Zelux is easy to fabricate, paint, and glue.

An innovative techno-material combination for aero / defense / rail parts: With a resin manufacturing partner, Arkema, we have succeeded in extruding sheets in an amorphous state (PEKK material already qualified for aerospace) which crystallizes during thermoforming. The fact that the plates are amorphous allows thermoforming deformation and then crystallization offers all the thermal / mechanical / chemical properties of an ultra high performance polymer. Value proposition: advance in the replacement of metal parts / reduce process costs for machined PEEK parts / open the door to the manufacture of large parts (aircraft interior, drones, defense systems, railways, electrical boxes, ducting systems, etc. )