[SMM Stainless Steel Flash] Nippon Kinzoku Starts Production of Ultra-Thin Stainless for Insulin Needle Laser Welding

Published: Sep 1, 2026 17:39

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Japanese stainless steel producer Nippon Kinzoku has commenced mass production of ultra-thin, narrow-width stainless steel optimized for laser welding in ultra-fine insulin needles, establishing a stable supply system in response to growing global demand. As 30G, 31G, and 32G ultra-fine needles gain wider adoption driven by compact pen injectors and weight-management medications, laser welding is increasingly replacing traditional TIG and plasma welding, enabling welding speeds over significantly thinner base materials. The new material features a representative thickness of 0.08mm and width of 6.3mm, more than 50% thinner than the 0.2mm/12.8mm specification used for TIG/plasma welding — with high-precision dimensional tolerances, consistent weldability across coils of up to 4,000 meters, and sufficient workability for drawing into ultra-fine needles without fracture. Nippon Kinzoku already supplies its NK-304NKM specialized stainless steel for thin-walled welded tubes used in medical and cosmetic applications.

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