Medical pump innovation marks new technical collaboration for Distrupol

Confirming its position as a leading European polymer distributor, technical service and solutions provider, Distrupol has played a crucial role in a pioneering development through a collaborative partnership with PDD Innovations Limited, part of the PDD Group, a leading UK-based Product Innovation Consultancy. This latest working relationship has realised its first major project with the development and launch of a unique disposable rotary displacement pump for IV use, which is set to revolutionise medical devices.

Known as SECTA™, the new pump was conceived by PDD Innovations to overcome many of the perceived deficiencies of existing peristaltic syringe and diaphragm pumps, not the least of which are issues of cost and maintenance. A complex part based on both hard and soft materials selected from medical-product approved polymers and elastomers, SECTA represents an innovative breakthrough in rotary displacement pumps by delivering high accuracy at very low cost.

Unlike other commonly used pumps that can have a number of moving parts, SECTA has only one. Moreover, all parts that are critical to accuracy are incorporated into a disposable component, measuring just 22mm x 22mm, that can be easily and economically replaced. The new mechanism is not sensitive to either pressure or temperature, thereby ensuring reliable, consistent performance.

Actively involved from the start of the SECTA project, Distrupol contributed materials expertise and technical assistance from initial design input through materials selection and tooling advice, to processing and optimisation support over the pump’s 12-month development period.

A key resource provided by Distrupol was its portfolio of polymers that are qualified for use in a wide cross-section of medical applications, the largest and most diverse currently available in the UK marketplace. This embraces materials from world-class producers, including DuPont, Ineos, Nova Innovene, Elastoteknik, DSM, Elastogran and Polimeri Europa.

Because the pump design called for hard and soft materials, of key importance was that Distrupol could offer a range of 2K and overmoulding polymers that adhere to hard materials such as ABS, Acrylic, PA, PC, PE and PP.

Tested to medical device standards, with prototype technical trials at St Bartholomew’s hospital, London, UK, the patented SECTA pump can be customised to meet the application specific needs of intravenous infusion, fluid chemistry, high throughput screening and micro volume dispensing, among others. Beyond healthcare the pump has a potential fit in industries such as food and chemical, where hygiene, high accuracy, reliability, non-contamination properties and cost effectiveness are essential requirements.

Reinforcing the credibility of the dynamic working partnership behind the novel SECTA development, PDD Innovations is currently a finalist in the ‘Product Design of the Year’ section of the UK Plastics Industry Awards 2006. And, Distrupol was named ‘Polymer Distributor and Compounder of the Year’ at the UK Plastics Industry Awards of 2005.