Repairing a Medical Device Using PlastiFix

Many household items, office machines, and medical devices are made of a rigid plastic called ABS. This type of plastic is easy to repair by a variety of methods, but the most easily accessible method for the do-it-yourselfer is Polyvance’s PlastiFix rigid plastic repair kit. In this video we will show you how to repair the ABS case of this sleep apnea monitor using Polyvance’s 2503 black PlastiFix repair kit.

Always wear proper safety gear while working!

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Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfwKJQyabQ0

Featured Product:

• 2503 Black PlastiFix Kit

Video Notes:

• English Closed Captions have been provided for this video. Click on the CC button to turn them on or off.
• The length of this video is in no way representative of the actual time required to perform a complete repair and therefore should not be used for estimating purposes.

Music Credits:

• "Sage" by Slenderbeats
  From the YouTube Audio Library

Photo Credits (free for commercial use)

• https://pixabay.com/photos/blender-mixer-juicer-food-processor-10934/
• https://pixabay.com/photos/office-printer-computer-equipment-2815634/
• https://pixabay.com/photos/asthma-inhaler-medicine-asthmatic-938695/
• https://pixabay.com/photos/printer-desk-office-fax-scanner-790396/
• https://pixabay.com/photos/keyboard-black-notebook-input-1385706/

English Transcript:

Many household items, office machines, and medical devices are made of a rigid plastic called ABS. This type of plastic is easy to repair by a variety of methods, but the most easily accessible method for the do-it-yourselfer is Polyvance’s PlastiFix rigid plastic repair kit. In this video we will show you how to repair the ABS case of this sleep apnea monitor using Polyvance’s 2503 black PlastiFix repair kit.

The case of this sleep apnea monitor is made from a common, rigid plastic called ABS. ABS is widely used on medical devices, office machines, and household items because it is easily moldable and relatively inexpensive. If you can’t find an identification symbol saying “ABS” somewhere on the plastic, you can test it by putting a drop of acetone on the surface. The acetone will soften the plastic and leave a mark when you wipe it off. ABS can be repaired by a variety of methods, but one of the easiest and most effective is Polyvance’s PlastiFix rigid plastic repair kit. This liquid and powder combination creates a rigid plastic that softens the base material for an extremely strong bond.

Mask off any areas of the plastic you don’t want the adhesive to affect. Like acetone, the liquid component of PlastiFix will soften ABS and leave a mark. For this repair, we are using the black PlastiFix powder found in the 2503 kit. Polyvance also offers PlastiFix powder in white and clear.

PlastiFix can be applied by three different methods, but when you want to place it in a very precise area, it is best to use the dropper method. Here we fill the tub with PlastiFix powder and the dropper bottle with PlastiFix liquid. Squeeze one or two drops of liquid into the powder and immediately stab the drop to pick up the ball of powder and liquid. The ball sticks to the end of the needle by surface tension. Move the needle to where you want to drop the PlastiFix, then squeeze a little more liquid out of the bottle to wash the ball of powder off the tip of the needle. Note that the needle’s hole is on the side, and not at the end. This allows the excess liquid to wash the powder ball off the top of the needle. Repeat this process until you have applied enough to fill the area.

It takes about 45 minutes for the PlastiFix to harden completely. Wait for the repair on the first side to cure before starting work on the other side. Again, apply tape to protect areas you don’t want the PlastiFix to adhere to. V-groove across the crack about halfway through the plastic so the PlastiFix can support the area after it’s been sanded smooth.

Use the same dropper method to apply PlastiFix to this side. Again, squeeze one or two drops of liquid into the powder and immediately stab the drop to pick up the ball of powder and liquid. The ball sticks to the end of the needle by surface tension. Move the needle to where you want to drop the PlastiFix, then squeeze a little more liquid out of the bottle to wash the ball of powder off the tip of the needle. Repeat the process until the repair area is somewhat overfilled. Allow 45 minutes for the PlastiFix to cure before continuing.

If you are not concerned about the finished appearance of the repair, you can call it quits here. But in this case, we want to restore the original profile to the part. This is easy to do by sanding with progressively finer grades of sandpaper. We started with 80 grit, then switched to 180 grit, and finally to 320 grit. If desired, PlastiFix can be painted to create an invisible repair.

PlastiFix is an excellent product to repair ABS and other rigid plastics. It can be used to fill holes and, with the included molding bar, it can recreate broken tabs. Polyvance introduced PlastiFix in 2000 and it is one of the company’s most popular repair kits for do-it-yourselfers. Check out all of Polyvance’s plastic repair products at www.polyvance.com or call 800-633-3047 for technical information.