Forerunner Prototyping Services

OEMs developing micro medical devices need to move quickly — iterating, testing, and refining designs without losing sight of the path to production.

Prototypes can play an important role in that process, but not all prototyping options offer the same value. While 3D printed prototypes may be faster and less expensive upfront, they often cannot fully replicate the performance, material behavior, or manufacturability of an injection molded component.

For many micro medical applications, customers need to evaluate parts in the actual production-intent material — including challenging materials such as bioabsorbables, elastomers, and overmolded designs. This allows engineering teams to better understand physical properties, part performance, component interaction, and design feasibility earlier in development.

That is why MTD offers high-fidelity injection molding prototyping using hardened steel tooling. This option provides customers with production-representative molded parts while also creating a strong bridge tooling solution for early volume production. Instead of starting over when the project is ready to scale, customers can continue using the same mold to support initial production needs.

By offering multiple prototyping pathways, MTD helps customers choose the approach that best aligns with their design stage, technical requirements, timeline, and long-term production goals.