Case Study - Pad vs Inkjet Printing

Situation

Intertech partnered with a leading medical device manufacturer to produce a wearable medical device featuring a three-color logo. The project specifications dictated the logo be applied via pad printing, which created several challenges. Because the logo had to be printed one color at a time, the process was time intensive and the registration of the logo itself and each color was hard to achieve, resulting in a scrap rate of approximately 10%.

Intertech Solution

Although inkjet printing is not typically applied to medical device products with tight tolerances, the Intertech team was convinced that finding the right partner for this logo application process would better meet the client’s needs. After identifying the right technology, they implemented a series of tests to ensure the printing integrity, specifically the logo, which needed to withstand the medical device’s seven-day life. Additional time was invested to ensure the tolerances and registration exactly matched the product specifications. Once all the tests were conducted and results shared with the customer, Intertech invested in the new inkjet technology and started producing the part.

The Results

Through the use of inkjet printing, Intertech significantly reduced the time required to produce the products – 20,000 parts went from 15 days to 44 hours, registration was achievable and scrape rate was reduced to below 1%. Additionally, the new technology enabled Intertech to provide its customer high-quality, on-time products and a 30% price reduction.