Cost-Reduced Version Of A Plastic Three-Piece Luer-Lock Needle Adapter

This consultant was approached to come up with a cost-reduced version of a plastic three-piece luer-lock needle adapter. The three-piece version was assembled using ultra-sonic means and the parts required precise fitments in order to mate with other manufacturers luer fitments. A two-piece version was submitted but soon failed due to the precise issue. The two-piece unit also had the continued cost-ineffective requirement of ultra-sonic attachment.

This consultant experimented with changing materials and eventually discovered an interesting phenomenon that is simple and obvious at the same time. In injection molding shrinkage of the parts is inevitable upon release from the hot mold. By using this predictable event one can mold two parts simultaneously in the same mold and by cooling one part quicker, be able to slide the hotter (slower chance unit to shrink) larger cylindrical locking unit easily over the cooler luer adapter part before it has a chance to shrink completely keeping it securely fastened in place eliminating the need to ultra-sonically weld the parts. This sounds all very simple but the truth is, at least six prototype hand mold were made before production tools were attempted. Much tweaking was required but the ultimate product was achieved and at a significant cost savings.

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