From Bandages to Wearable Devices: Converting Equipment in the Medical Industry

• This article is for manufacturers in the medical industry, as well as healthcare professionals interested in converting equipment.
• After reading this article, you’ll have more insight into the latest converting equipment used in the medical sector.
• You’ll also learn about real-world examples of successful applications of converting equipment in the medical industry.

There are some obvious uses of converting equipment in the healthcare industry. Rolls of sterile gauze and pressure-sensitive tape, for example, must go through the converting process before packaging them into a usable form. With new advances in medicine, the role of converting in the medical industry is expanding and changing, which means the manufacturers of medical-grade equipment must also be prepared to innovate and evolve.

These days, converting is being used for medical devices and wearables, which contain specialized materials that must be coated, laminated, then slit, die-cut, or processed in other ways before going to market. Wearable devices, which can monitor health metrics such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, often use flexible substrates that require specialized handling during the converting process.

Regardless of whether high-tech wearables or bandages for wound care are being manufactured, converting for the medical sector requires maintaining strict quality control to meet the stringent safety standards of the industry. Oftentimes, this requires the converting to occur in a clean room.

Converting equipment used in the medical industry

Converting equipment plays a vital role in the healthcare industry, ensuring that materials and products are transformed into easy-to-package, safe, usable forms. Below, we share some of the main categories of converting equipment used in medical product manufacturing, along with some specific examples of Pinnacle machines and how they are used in the field.

Slitting machines

These machines are used to slit a single, wide roll into several narrower rolls. Slitting machines play an essential role in the healthcare industry for any application that requires narrow widths and precise cuts, such as the manufacture of sterile adhesive bandages or pressure-sensitive surgical tape.
Examples include:

• 24” Simplex Turret Slitter Rewinder and 240″ (6m) Non-Woven Surface Slitter Rewinder are used for non-woven fabrics for medical use
• 74” Surface Slitter Rewinder is used for mop cleaning products
• 64” Center Surface Slitter Rewinder is used to produce medical gowns

Rewinding machines

These machines ensure that all finished rolls are rewound to meet specific tension requirements. This step is pivotal in maintaining the overall quality of the final product when used in medical industry manufacturing.
Examples include:

• Simplex Turret Rewinder, Wet/Dry Wipes Slitting and Perforating Machine are used in the manufacture of medical wipes
• 62″ Duplex Turret Slitter Rewinder and 74″ Turret Slitter Rewinder are used in the manufacture of surgical drapes and medical foams

Sealing machines

Sealing machines are used to seal packages containing medical equipment and supplies. They ensure that the products remain sterile and safe for use by healthcare professionals.
Examples include:

• 154″ Bag Sealing Line is used for medical product packaging
• 150″ Heat Sealing Station is used for medical product sealing
• Single Use Bag Manufacturing Line used for 2D and 3D Bio-Reactor bags manufactured with AOF (Animal Origin-Free) components

Sheeting machines

Sheeting machines cut a material into sheets. In the healthcare industry, these machines can be used in a variety of applications, including the creation of disposable surgical drapes, hospital gowns, and sterile wraps.
Examples include:

• 86″ Perforator Slitter Rewinder
• EZ Sheeting Machine

Laminating machines

Laminating machines combine layers of material, including adhesives and liners, into a single sheet. This process is especially important for the production of transdermal drug delivery patches, packaging, and wearable RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology.

Pinnacle is committed to providing top-of-the-line, American-made equipment that meets the stringent requirements of the medical industry and clean room manufacturing. As advances in healthcare create new converting needs, Pinnacle is prepared to evolve and innovate our machinery accordingly, or offer custom equipment to meet your exact specifications.

The Bottom Line

The role of converting equipment in the healthcare industry is critical—and it’s growing as new medtech like wearable devices and transdermal drug delivery gain popularity. Explore Pinnacle’s converting solutions for the medical industry, or contact us today to learn more about custom converting equipment to support your production process.