VESTAKEEP® in Medical Technology
- PEEK in battery-operated surgical drill
- Competitive product portfolio
Marl—VESTAKEEP® 4000 G from the High Performance Polymers Business Unit of Essen, Germany-based Evonik Industries is used in the manufacture of a part in a battery-operated surgical drill. The high-temperature polymer polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is used here on account of its combination of mechanical strength, rigidity, and sterilizability.
PEEK in battery-operated surgical drill
Matom Betriebs AG of Switzerland overmolds VESTAKEEP® 4000 G around a metal pin that functions as the switch lever of a battery-operated surgical drill. The PEEK is molded into a grip so that the lever can easily be operated with index and middle fingers. The mechanical properties of VESTAKEEP® 4000 G, such as high mechanical strength and rigidity, ensure full functionality for drilling into bone and screw fitting. The combination of these properties, including the sterilizability of the material, is essential in the operating room.
Competitive product portfolio
High Performance Polymers offers VESTAKEEP® in four viscosities as granules, powders, and fine powders. In addition three compounds based on these products are available. One compound contains 30% glass fibers (VESTAKEEP® GF30), the second has 30% carbon fibers (VESTAKEEP® CF30) while the third contains a combination of 10% carbon fibers, 10% graphite and 10% PTFE (VESTAKEEP® FC30). Approvals in accordance with UL and FDA have been obtained for some compounds, approval according to USP class VI is currently in progress.
About Evonik
Evonik Industries is the creative industrial group which operates in three highly profitable, promising business areas: Chemicals, Energy and Real Estate. Evonik is a global leader in specialty chemicals, an expert in power generation from hard coal and renewable energies, and one of the largest private residential real estate companies in Germany. Our strengths are creativity, specialization, continuous self-renewal, and reliability.
Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world. In fiscal 2006 around 43,000 employees generated sales of €14.8 billion and operating Profit (EBIT) of over €1.2 billion. Evonik plans to enter the capital market in the first half of 2008.
In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release and where our forward-looking statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations and statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Evonik Industries AG assumes no obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.