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Making the Right Connection – Benefits of Genderless Aseptic Connectors for Medical Devices

Making the Right Connection – Benefits of Genderless Aseptic Connectors for Medical Devices

From business networking to air travel, you can never underestimate the importance of a good connection. The same is true for many medical and biopharmaceutical devices, where fluids must be transferred safely between equipment and patients. In these applications, a reliable, sanitized connection is critical.

To meet the growing demands of the medical field, more devices are utilizing disposable aseptic connectors. Read on to learn the benefits of genderless connectors and key manufacturing considerations.

What are genderless aseptic connectors? 

Traditional connectors utilize male and female ends that mate and interconnect to separate fluid paths, such as in medical device tubing. While there's nothing inherently wrong with gendered connectors, they require two different products and careful usage to ensure that the ends are precisely connected. 

Genderless connectors simplify the equation. The two halves are identical and connect to each other without clamps, fixtures, or tube welders. Disposable genderless aseptic connectors provide a quick, easy sterile connection. They can be used for upstream and downstream processing and designed with various ends and sizes to accommodate a wide range of medical devices. 

Benefits of genderless aseptic connectors

Even a small component, such as a tubing connector, can make a tremendous difference in the performance and safety of a medical device. Genderless aseptic connectors offer an array of benefits for healthcare providers, patients, and even device manufacturers:

  • Increased efficiency – Eliminating the need to match gender-based connectors reduces the time and cost associated with connecting and disconnecting devices.
  • Improved patient safety – Genderless connectors eliminate the risk of misconnections between different types of medical devices. This drastically reduces the risk of patient harm, especially in fast-paced, high-pressure situations such as emergency or operating rooms.
  • Dependable sterilization – Genderless aseptic connectors create a permanent sterile connection, even in non-sterile environments. Additionally, components can typically be exposed to gamma and autoclave sterilization methods.
  • Reduced inventory costs – The universal nature of genderless connectors allows medical providers to consolidate inventory (they only need to stock one part instead of two), which can lower inventory costs.
  • Manufacturing consolidation – Device manufacturers can half the number of connectors they need to make. This reduces materials and processes, allowing companies to be more efficient and productive.
  • Design flexibility - Genderless connectors can be used in a wide range of medical applications and enable innovation due to design flexibility.

Design and manufacturing partner for aseptic connectors

While genderless aseptic connectors are simple to use, they present design and manufacturing challenges. In particular, a high-quality gasket is essential in achieving a seal for fluid transfer. That's where working with an experienced design manufacturing partner can provide immense value – allowing you to focus on the other aspects of your medical device.

At Tapecon, we have experience collaborating with design teams to develop customized gaskets and seals for medical applications. We start with material selection based on your requirements, including pressure, temperature, chemical exposure, and environmental conditions. Once we've identified the primary and secondary gasket materials, such as adhesives and liners, our experienced team handles all converting processes in our FDA-approved facility.

Let's make something great 

With over 100 years of manufacturing experience, Tapecon works with product teams to solve challenges, create products, and enhance lives. Learn more about our gaskets and filtration applications.

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