RFID Tag Housing Is Molded of Solvay's Radel® PPSU for Exceptional Autoclavability and Toughness
Toppan Printing's New Reusable RFID Tag Targets Healthcare Industry
ALPHARETTA, Ga. - Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.'s new radio frequency identification (RFID) tag housings for medical equipment are made of Radel® R-5100 polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) resin from Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC for exceptional autoclavability and toughness. These RFID tag housings are among the first made of thermoplastic for the healthcare market.
RFID tag identification systems offer more efficient management of hospital medical equipment that requires autoclave sterilization, according to Toppan Printing, a leading Japan-based supplier of RFID tags, readers, writers, and systems. The current product identification methods which use bar codes or manual quantity management are often susceptible to read errors due to surface contamination on bar codes, the company says. As a result, the healthcare industry has increasingly moved to RFID tag management systems that are readable through a non-contact method.
Toppan Printing has designed and developed three versions of the reusable RFID tag for a range of medical applications including forceps, disposable gauze, operating room gowns, and cases and trays. RFID housings made of Radel PPSU resin withstand the autoclave process, which exposes medical equipment to high temperature, high pressure, and high humidity.
Radel PPSU is itself a super-tough transparent thermoplastic with high heat resistance, excellent hydrolytic stability, and excellent resistance to bases and other chemicals. It can withstand over 1000 cycles of steam sterilization without any significant loss of properties. Radel PPSU is compliant with ISO 10993-1 for non-implantable applications.
The RFID tags are available in different sizes including three injection molded coin-shaped tags ranging in size (starting at 6.5 mm outer diameter and up to 3 mm thickness). They are being offered for sampling and testing to OEM customers and Toppan Printing expects them to be commercially available in December of this year.
Solvay Specialty Polymers is a global leader in the development of sulfone polymer
technology, launching Udel® polysulfone nearly 45 years ago. In addition, Solvay's experience as a key materials supplier in the healthcare field spans more than 20 years. The company is a leading manufacturer of high-performance plastics, offering a broad range of materials for healthcare instruments and medical devices. More recently, Solvay has successfully introduced its line of Solviva® Biomaterials and offers them for use in a range of implantable devices.
About Toppan Printing Co., Ltd.
Established in 1900, Tokyo, Japan-based Toppan Printing Co. Ltd. utilizes its vast expertise in printing in eight areas of business: securities and cards, commercial printing, publications printing, packaging, functional products, industrial materials, display-related products, and semiconductor-related products. The company's net sales in March 2011 were more than 1,556 billion yen ($20.3 billion). More information is available at http://www.toppan.co.jp/english/.
About Solvay Specialty polymers
Solvay Specialty Polymers manufactures more products with more performance than any other polymer company in the world. The company supplies over 1500 products across 33 brands of high-performance polymers - fluoropolymers, fluoroelastomers, fluorinated fluids, semi-aromatic polyamides, sulfone polymers, aromatic ultra polymers, high-barrier polymers and cross-linked high-performance compounds - for use in Aerospace, Alternative Energy, Automotive, Healthcare, Membranes, Oil & Gas, Packaging, Plumbing, Semiconductors, Wire & Cable, and other markets. Learn more at www.solvayspecialtypolymers.com.
Solvay is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a clear focus on innovation and operational excellence. Its recent acquisition of specialty chemicals company Rhodia created a much larger player which is realizing over 90% of its sales in markets where it is among the top 3 global leaders. Solvay offers a broad range of products that contribute to improving quality of life and its customers' performance in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics. The Group is headquartered in Brussels and its companies employ about 30,000 people in 55 countries and generated EUR 12 billion in sales (pro forma) in 2010. Solvay SA is listed on NYSE Euronext (SOLB.BE - Bloomberg: SOLB.BB - Reuters: SOLBt.BR).
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