Metal Components

Originally Published MPMN May 2009

SPOTLIGHT

Metal Components

Spring washers

A supplier offers a range of stock precision components that includes metal spring washers and mechanical spring struts. Suitable for use in medical devices, the Belleville line of washers is available in spring steel or stainless steel. These washers are designed for applications in which a high load capacity is needed but deflection space is limited and there is not enough room for a compression spring. By stacking the washers, users can gain additional load and deflection. The components can be stacked in series by alternating one facing up then one facing down, in parallel by stacking one on top of the next facing the same direction, or in a combination of both methods.
Associated Spring-Raymond
Maumee, OH
www.asraymond.com

Caster
Available with a choice of wheels, a caster features a total-lock brake, which is not typically found on 2-in.-diam. casters, according to the supplier. Suited for light loads on smooth surfaces, the Flexello swivel caster has a load capacity of 110 lb. It is designed for mobile medical and electronic equipment applications and equipment carts. Using a plain bearing, the caster has a swivel radius of just under two inches and its bolt hole/stem size is ³⁄₈ in. Wheels are offered in polypropylene-on-nylon or gray-rubber-on-nylon.
The Revvo Caster Company, Inc.
West Seneca, NY
www.revvocaster.com

Custom-machined screws
A contract manufacturer offers specialized cold-forming services for such machined parts as screws. The company’s engineers are experienced in high-speed metal-forming processes, such as cold heading, that can be modified for specific application requirements. A machined screw component, for example, that has tight tolerances and sharp right-angle projections cannot be formed using cold heading alone. The company can use cold forming to create the main dimensions of the screw and then use secondary grinding processes to refine the oversized right-angle projections. This process achieves tight tolerances and provides a high-quality surface finish at a lower cost than other machining methods, according to the company.
Atlantic Fasteners Company, Inc.
West Springfield, MA
www.atlanticfasteners.com

Springs for implantables
Miniature springs are designed to help medical device OEMs enhance orthopedic device performance without significantly affecting design requirements or cost. Made of medical-grade titanium, these canted-coil springs demonstrate high performance and durability for implantable devices that act like joints in the human body. The springs can ensure smooth rotary motion in such applications as a ball-and-socket carpometacarpal device used to replace diseased or arthritic joints and restore movement. The springs’ retaining capabilities can minimize the possibility of dislocation.
Bal Seal Engineering Inc.
Foothill Ranch, CA
www.balseal.com

Needles and cannulae
A company offers contract design and manufacturing services for needles and other metal components used in surgical, radiological, and biopsy applications. Specializing in precision instruments and components, the company provides design services for every stage of development. In addition to cutting, grinding, and injection and insert molding capabilities, the company also can provide assembly, sterilization, and packaging. It also works on projects requiring enhancements to existing products. Examples of the types of metal components that the company can produce include catheters, cannulae, and needles for soft-tissue and aspiration biopsy and bone marrow applications.
Ranfac Corp.
Avon, MA
www.ranfac.com

Metal filters
Custom-engineered cleanable and clog-resistant metal filters are available for removing suspended solids from a variety of liquids. The filters feature a smooth working surface with sharp-edged, burr-free electroformed holes and openings that have wedge-shaped cross sections designed to prevent clogging. Suited to perform as filters and prefilters to prolong the life of membranes, the components can incorporate shapes and holes with diameters of 0.0001 to 0.08 in. and tolerances as fine as ±0.5 µm. These filters can have as many as 1 million holes per square inch. Made from nickel with optional protective coatings, they can be manufactured in sizes ranging from ¹⁄₈ in. square to 3 ft square with thicknesses of 0.001 to 0.012 in. Stork Veco International Inc.
BURLINGTON, MA
www.storkvecousa.com

For additional suppliers of metal components, visit our North American Suppliers Directory.
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