ILMA Compoundings August 2018 - 24

Thanks to tribology's profound effect
on the field of medical instruments,
the medical elastomers market is
projected to grow at a compounded
annual rate of 7.5 percent between
2017 and 2022.
of toothpaste with abrasive particulates, replacement of
teeth and crowns, and design of [instruments] used in
dental care to clean teeth," Fenske said.

A Closer Bond into The Future

The field of medical tribology has advanced significantly
in recent decades, and there is little doubt that tribological
manufacturing will continue to play an important role in
medical breakthroughs as time goes on.
"We're going to be around for some time," said Fenske.
"As we live longer, more parts are going to mechanically
wear out, necessitating the need for tribology - more
specifically biotribology - research."
Thanks to tribology's profound effect on the field of
medical instruments, the medical elastomers market is
projected to grow at a compounded annual rate of 7.5
percent between 2017 and 2022 - going from $5.51
billion to $7.92 billion in just five years, according to the
"Medical Elastomers Market - Global Forecast to 2022"
report by ResearchAndMarkets.com. In similar fashion,
ResearchAndMarkets.com also found that the medical
composite materials market is expected to experience 6.96
percent growth between 2017 and 2022.
Numerous politicians, including members of Congress, have also taken notice of the crucial nature - and
growing potential - of tribology across various fields,
health care included. Rep. Tim Ryan of Ohio introduced
a resolution (H.R. 306) in May 2017 with the help of
the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers
(STLE) and many others that should be of great interest
to ILMA-member companies. The resolution was referred
to the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology and then to the
Subcommittee on Research and Technology for review

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AUGUST 2018

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

toward the end of May of this year, and is steadily moving
toward further action.
The resolution recognizes "the impact of tribology on the
United States economy and competitiveness in providing
solutions to critical technical problems in manufacturing,
energy production and use, transportation vehicles and infrastructure, greenhouse gas emissions, defense and homeland
security, health care, mining safety and reliability, and space
exploration, among others, and recognizing the need for
increased research and development investments in tribology
and related fields."
Ryan's resolution would "encourage federal agencies
to develop and implement programs related to tribology,
encourage the formation of public-private partnerships to
advance fundamental research and accelerate the development of tribology-related products," and even "encourage the
National Academy of Engineering to conduct a survey on
the status of tribology research in academia and government
laboratories and to recommend a course of action to accelerate innovations in tribology." The result of this could bloom
into a burst of activity and advancement in the lubricants
and tribology industries and provide a surge of business to
lubricant manufacturers all over the U.S.
Clearly, lubrication and the science of tribology play a
role in the world of health care that simply can't be
overlooked. When medical products are in high demand,
made affordably and continue to get more sophisticated
within a flourishing health care industry, lubricant manufacturers should be poised to take advantage of positive
market trends. ILMA member companies have a unique
opportunity to thrive as medical applications for industrial
lubricants continue to grow.
Moul is a freelance writer based on the East Coast.
http://www.ResearchAndMarkets.com http://www.ResearchAndMarkets.com http://www.ILMA.ORG
ILMA Compoundings August 2018

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