Buttons are essential in medical devices: they act as interfaces for healthcare professionals, patients, and carers to control the device, input commands, alter settings, and trigger specified activities, as well as provide a tactile and intuitive way to operate the device's essential functions. 

Buttons are also intended to promote user safety while also being accessible and simple to use. Every aspect of a button design, including size, form, and ergonomics, is carefully considered to ensure their visibility and accessibility to the user, while taking physical ability and intended usage into mind.

The thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs), meet functional and aesthetic criteria in medical device buttons, such as soft-touch, color, durability, good haptics, safety, and others.  

KRAIBURG TPE, a global provider of thermoplastic elastomer materials and bespoke solutions for a wide range of industries, offers the THERMOLAST® H series of compounds in a variety of hardness ranges and colors, as well as other mechanical properties that meet the requirements of medical device manufacturers and designers for applications such as buttons, handles, grips, and more.

Soft-touch, good haptics for better user experience

KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST® H HC/AP range of compounds addresses usability for buttons in medical equipment with its good haptics and soft touch surface properties. 

The series features outstanding compression set capabilities that provide long-term durability and dependable performance. 

Furthermore, it can be sterilized in an autoclave at 121°C or by EtO, making it suitable for use in medical devices.

Compliance with high safety standards

KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST® H HC/AP series of compounds is free of animal components, PVC, silicone, and latex. 

The compounds have been tested in accordance with ISO 10993-5 and GB/T 16886.5 (cytotoxicity) standards and comply with internationally recognized safety and quality standards such as China GB 4806 - 2016; the US FDA CFR 21; Regulation (EU) No 10/2011; and REACH and RoHS.

Design and efficiency-enhancing features

The THERMOLAST® H HC/AP series of compounds from KRAIBURG TPE offer good adhesion to PP and PE and may be molded into different sizes and shapes via injection molding and extrusion.  

This series provides colorability options for creating a variety of color effects for medical equipment buttons. 

As well, KRAIBURG TPE's in-house coloring team is able to deliver precise color shades and send color samples with reliable delivery times.

All-round material solution for medical applications in the Asia-Pacific market

The THERMOLAST® H series from KRAIBURG TPE offers more than meets the eye. It provides a diverse range of material solutions for medical device and packaging applications and has been tested in accordance with various regulations and compliances, primarily for the Asia-Pacific market. 

The diverse THERMOLAST® H TPE series are notable for their good sealing, chemical resistance, and other key properties. Additionally, they exhibit outstanding adhesion with non-polar plastics like PP or PE, and polar technical thermoplastics like ABS, PC, PET, ASA, SAN, and PS when processed using multiple component molding or insert molding.

KRAIBURG TPE’s high standard of production for the THERMOLAST® H TPE series ensures pure and consistent quality. Customers are also assured of support when it comes to proper materials selection based on their requirements, including part design and material processing.

Sustainability successes of our TPE

KRAIBURG TPE’s recent sustainability innovations include a specially developed material solution for automotive, consumer, and industry applications comprising post-consumer recycled (PCR) and post-industrial recycled (PIR) content. 

Are you looking for a sustainable TPE solution? Talk to us! 

Our experts are happy to answer any questions you have, as well as to offer the right solution for your application.