New Technological Horizon: Clayens, a Pioneer in Anti-Friction and Anti-Sticking Through Micro and Nanotexturing of Tooling

The Clayens group is at the forefront of innovation in surface texturing for plastic parts. The principle of this technology lies in creating micro and nano textures on injection tooling. These extremely precise patterns, once replicated on plastic parts, radically change their behavior by giving them unique properties: by adjusting surface topography at a micro/nanoscopic level, it is possible to transform their functional properties, opening an extended and revolutionary field of applications in many sectors, particularly medical devices.

After spectacular results regarding improved flow properties of textured parts, Clayens R&D teams focused on anti-sticking and anti-friction issues. While anti-sticking aims to prevent surfaces from sticking together (particularly between materials of different stiffness), anti-friction focuses on reducing resistance to movement between two surfaces.

Two concrete examples illustrate the effectiveness of this technology in solving specific challenges:

In drug delivery devices, a major challenge was met: reducing friction between polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), which made device activation too difficult. Thanks to Clayens micro/nanotexturing, the force required to activate the device was reduced by 30%, making it easier to use.

In another case involving a drug reconstitution device, the issue was interaction between soft TPE and rigid PC, where unwanted sticking increased activation torque. Applying our technology achieved a significant reduction of more than 50% in this torque. This innovation not only solved the sticking problem but also led to elimination of lubricants, reducing contamination risks and simplifying regulatory compliance.

It is essential to emphasize that, in both cases, parts treated with our technology are in direct contact with the drug. This critical proximity required adding advanced functionality to components without altering the composition or properties of the originally chosen material.

"Each step forward in our work with texturing technology brings its share of surprises and results that often exceed our expectations. Each advance opens new perspectives; applications seem endless, offering innovative and effective solutions for a multitude of industrial challenges." explains Pauline SPARD, from the CLAYENS Healthcare R&D department.

This technology pushes the traditional limits of materials engineering, offering benefits well beyond flow, anti-friction and anti-sticking applications alone. Its ability to reinvent the properties of plastic parts opens doors to revolutionary applications in various sectors, including but not limited to healthcare.

Stay tuned: in the coming months, we plan to publish an article on our ongoing work on antibacterial properties from textured parts!

Pour en savoir plus sur nos innovations et nos services, contactez-nous !                                                                                                                                       

A propos de Clayens

CLAYENS HEALTHCARE, which represents the Healthcare activity of the CLAYENS Group, supports healthcare industry players (medical devices, pharmaceuticals and diagnostics) in the development, industrialization and manufacturing of custom medical devices and plastic components, in compliance with international regulatory standards.

CLAYENS Healthcare offers a complete service, from R&D to production, including industrialization, qualification, validation and regulatory support.

Present in 9 countries, the CLAYENS Group has nearly 5,100 people and 32 manufacturing sites. The Group's Healthcare sites, with ISO7 and ISO8 cleanrooms, are located in Europe and North America (France, Mexico and the USA).

Pour en savoir plus : https://www.clayens.com/healthcare