Colvin-friedman company

Pharmaceutical Die Cutting Services

Precision Components for Regulated Industries. We Hold Your Tolerances and Document Every Run

Your die-cut components need to meet pharmaceutical cleanliness standards and hold tolerance across thousands of units. They also need to come with the documentation your QA team requires. Colvin Friedman has cut parts for regulated industries for 75+ years, and Josh Rodman, our VP, stays available directly throughout your project at (707) 769-4488.

Pharmaceutical Components We Cut

Tell us what you’re building. We’ll match the material, method, and documentation requirements.

Segment Applications Materials
Drug Delivery Device Components
  • Inhaler actuators
  • Autoinjector housings
  • Patch device substrates
  • Engineering plastics
  • TPU films
  • Polyester barrier films
Secondary Packaging
  • Vial protection inserts
  • Shipping stabilizers
  • Protective barriers
  • Cross-linked PE foam
  • Barrier films
  • Multi-layer foil laminates
Cold Chain Packaging
  • Thermal barriers
  • Phase change material holders
  • Insulated shipping inserts
  • Reflective barrier films
  • Specialty insulating foams
  • Specialty composites
Prototype and Clinical Trial Parts
  • Design verification components
  • Process validation samples
  • Clinical trial builds
  • Production-equivalent materials, so your validation data holds
Sterile Barrier Components
  • Foil seals
  • Protective film layers
  • Multi-layer barrier constructions
  • Medical-grade barrier laminates
  • Pharmaceutical-grade foils

Why Pharma Manufacturers Choose Colvin Friedman

Qualifying a new die cutting supplier comes down to one core question: can they hold your tolerances and give you what you need for the audit trail? Here’s where we stand:

Pharmaceutical-grade cleanliness

We process in a controlled environment, monitor temperature and humidity throughout production, use powder-free handling, and clean dies between material changes.

Tight, consistent tolerances

Rotary: ±0.005" / Flatbed: ±0.010", maintained from first prototype through full-volume production.

Full lot documentation

We provide complete documentation for every order, including process records, dimensional reports, material certifications, and batch traceability.

Rapid prototype turnaround

Prototype units are available within days using production-equivalent tooling to support reliable validation data.

Direct access to decision-makers

You work directly with Josh, our VP, without account manager layers. Technical questions receive same-day answers.

Scalable without re-qualification

We support R&D quantities through full production, scaling up to 40,000 units/hour while maintaining qualification continuity.

Our Pharmaceutical Die Cutting Process

We give you fast prototyping and rigorous production control, with documentation at every stage.

01

Stage 1: Specification and Feasibility Review 1 - 3 Days

We review your tolerances, material specifications, and regulatory requirements. We confirm process feasibility and recommend rotary or flatbed cutting based on your material and production volume.

02

Stage 2: Material Evaluation - Concurrent with Stage 1

We evaluate your pharma-grade material for cutting behavior, assess delamination risk and dimensional stability, and identify any conditioning required before cutting begins.

03

Stage 3: Prototype Production 3 – 7 days

We cut initial parts using production-equivalent tooling and ship them for fit-and-function validation. The same tooling parameters carry forward to full production.

04

Stage 4: Documentation Review - At your discretion

We generate first-article inspection reports and dimensional data. Material certifications are provided before production proceeds for QA review and approval.

05

Stage 5: Full Production with QMS - Volume-dependent

We run production with continuous QMS monitoring and in-process dimensional checks. Batch documentation is compiled throughout the run and included in your audit file.

How We Control Cleanliness and Quality in Pharmaceutical Die Cutting

Contamination and dimensional failure happen at the material-die interface, not in spec sheets. These are the specific protocols we run during production for each pharmaceutical material type:

Material Type Our Production Protocols What This Protects
Barrier Films and Foils (up to .015″) We maintain temperature at 68–72°F and humidity at 45–55% RH throughout processing. We use powder-free handling and calibrate cutting pressure based on material thickness.
  • Dimensional stability
  • Barrier integrity
  • Contamination prevention
Foam Materials (up to 0.5″) We acclimate materials for a minimum of 24 hours before cutting. We apply progressive cutting pressure and run density and compression tests per batch.
  • Dimensional consistency
  • Cellular structure
  • Cushioning performance
Multi-Layer Materials (up to 0.5″) We verify layer adhesion before cutting, clean dies between material changes, and inspect cut edges under magnification.
  • Delamination prevention
  • Cross-contamination control
  • Edge integrity
Temperature-Sensitive Materials We monitor material temperature throughout production, apply defined cooling periods between cuts, and document environmental conditions for each batch.
  • Property preservation
  • Batch-level traceability
Engineering Plastics (up to 0.5″) We verify material grade and orientation before cutting. We adjust cutting speed for material thickness and perform dimensional checks throughout the run. For reactive materials, we implement inert gas environments during cutting when required.
  • Performance characteristics
  • Dimensional compliance
Protective Films (up to .015″) We use static elimination throughout processing, clean cutting surfaces regularly, and use non-contact handling to prevent surface damage.
  • Surface cleanliness
  • Optical clarity
  • Scratch prevention

Production Capabilities

Capability Rotary Die Cutting Flatbed Die Cutting
Maximum Width 16″ (we slit from larger jumbos) 40″
Maximum Thickness 0.015″ (material-dependent) 0.5″ (material-dependent)
Tolerance ±0.005″ ±0.010″
Max Production Rate 40,000 units/hour 2,000–4,000 parts/hour
Average Lead Time 3 weeks 3 weeks
Best Pharma Applications Thin barrier films and drug delivery substrates Thicker foam inserts and multi-layer constructions

Not sure which process fits your part? Call Josh directly at (707) 769-4488.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. We produce die-cut components for manufacturers in FDA-regulated environments. We maintain process documentation and batch-level traceability on every order, giving your QA team what it needs for regulatory submissions.

We provide first-article inspection reports and dimensional data with every order. We also provide material certifications and batch traceability records. If your project requires a specific documentation format, we discuss that during your specification review.

We have prototypes ready within days of design approval. We cut them with production-equivalent tooling and parameters, so your validation data holds when you move to full production.

Yes. We work with barrier films and pharmaceutical-grade foils. We also cut engineering plastics and temperature-sensitive materials. We confirm cutting feasibility for your specific material before production begins.

We monitor cutting environment temperature and humidity throughout production. We use powder-free handling and clean dies between material changes. We also run static elimination during protective film processing.

Who This Is For

Pharmaceutical die cutting with Colvin Friedman is the right fit for manufacturers who:

  • Source die-cut components for drug delivery devices or secondary packaging programs
  • Require lot traceability and process documentation for regulatory compliance
  • Need a supplier who prototypes quickly and holds the same tolerances at full volume
  • Want direct access to the people running their production, not account manager layers

Or call Josh at (707) 769-4488