Indestructible Label Affixed to Instrument

Not too long ago, labeling a medical instrument with a permanent adhesive label solution was still inconceivable. But this is exactly what a new solution promises. S+P Samson GmbH located in Kissing, Germany, near Augsburg, worked in collaboration with “The Bonding Engineers” at Lohmann GmbH & Co KG from Neuwied on the Rhine River to develop this new solution: their product Structobond affixes labels to the surface of instruments, even though the instruments are designed to prevent most everything from sticking to them—and this new technology for permanent identification is already patented.

S+P Samson managing director Karl Tochtermann says the challenge in getting there was like “squaring the circle.” But according to in-depth market analyses on instrument identification, this medical technology is clearly proving to be an exciting application area in which the know-how from the Kissing-based company will be useful. Tochtermann’s employees can revert back to a wide range of experiences: S+P Samson has been making robust plastic labels for rough ambient conditions for more than 36 years. And the engineers at the development partner Lohmann have been working with high-tech bonding solutions for industrial applications for close to 80 years. These two companies have been working together going on 20 years and offer special solutions as well.

The idea for the development of adhesive labels for medical instruments was born out of this collaboration. According to Tochtermann’s observations, people in the industry have long been thinking about how instrument identification could be more transparent. “The prevalent laser technology is not a viable solution in the long run,” comments the managing director, “for reasons including, among others, the fact that the markings fade, are cost intensive, and can be made on modern plastic instruments only to some extent.” This technology cannot be used to make colored identification either.

With Structobond, Tochtermann wants to provide an all-around solution. The process is currently being tested in clinics. He reports, many users are impressed that the adhesive solution is more efficient, more reliable, and easier to read than the familiar identification solutions.

The technology is based on an epoxy resin adhesive applied in a web form, encasing and securely fastening a data carrier. It also meets the most important requirement: it is physiologically harmless. Structobond is the “first product to combine structural adhesion and identification.”

For structural adhesion, systems are used that migrate into a solid state through a polyreaction, creating a duromer. The polymer layers of the adhesive material have a permanent adhesiveness. The chemical reaction is initiated by the application of heat or exposure to IR radiation. Depending on modification using various additives, the systems will have a different initial and end adhesive strength, but will lose their adhesive properties by the end of the curing process.

The polymerized adhesive layer secures the label to the back surface, while forming a covering layer. Heat is applied to melt the two layers, secure the data carrier, and combine the layers around the carrier. This process creates a homogeneous, slightly raised area that will cling to the respective object. The result is “clearly legible coding that is permanently attached to the instrument and remains undamaged by cleaning, passivation, and sterilization,” says Tochtermann. The labels are designed for all relevant surfaces of surgical instruments. The manufacturer guarantees that the labels will stick to stainless steel, titanium, glass, and plastics (including PEEK, PPSU, and PC).

All of the products are tested and certified for human safety. Tochtermann founded Clinic ID GmbH in 2013 to put them on the market. The entire product portfolio is designed to withstand extreme stress from cleaning and sterilization processes. Structobond can also withstand the required sterilization cycles without damage and on permanent basis, making it “semi-indestructible” and an alternative to laser marking, engraving, and etching.

All types of coding, plain writing, and logos with preprinted colors can be integrated into this solution. Clinic ID is already working on database solutions, such as Eco-Soft, for managing the hospital’s labeled inventory, which includes recording, analyzing, and displaying the inventory. Such software makes it possible to list all data together so that the process can be traced and documented without gaps. op

Additional information about the southern German label specialist: www.sp-samson.com/en/home,4.html about Clinic ID: www.clinic-id.com/en/

Employees working in the Bonding Engineers division at Lohmann GmbH & Co KG develop customer-specific adhesive technology solutions. The requirements for a perfect adhesive solution include knowing how, where, and under which conditions will the item be used. The solution can also be thermally conductive, compensating for tolerances, or removable. The application engineers use their experience to develop the right system.