Surface Treatment 15161

Originally Published MPMN September 2005

Outsourcing Outlook

Surface Treatment

Mechanical Surface Treatment Is Beneficial for Metal Wire and Parts

Mechanical surface treatment has certain advantages that are beneficial for metal wires and parts used in medical devices. In addition to oxide removal, surface finish features can be improved to better than 3 rms without any adverse chemical interactions or heat effects. There is also no limitation on the type of metal or alloy that can be polished. The company can clean and polish short parts, straight lengths, and spooled material. Metal wires and parts that can be polished can be round, flat, or formed into various extruded shapes. After mechanical processing, passivation techniques are available as needed, using either traditional mineral acids or multi-ingredient organic acid–based chelant chemistry methods. A wide range of metals can be treated. Metal Cutting Corp., Cedar Grove, NJ
www.metalcutting.com

Imprinting Company Offers Marking Services

An ISO 9001:2000–certified pad-imprinting company provides custom solutions to device-marking needs. The company’s core competencies include solving marking challenges through the use of biocompatible medical-grade inks and other custom applications. Computerized pad-imprinting equipment and gas-plasma pretreatment technology enhance superior ink adhesion to FEP, PTFE, polyethylene, and polypropylene. All operations take place within a 20,000-sq ft clean, environmentally controlled production facility. CI Medical, Norton, MA
www.cimedical.com

Company Offers High-Performance Coating Services

A licensed applicator of technologies such as DuPont Teflon and Whitford Worldwide coatings also offers custom development, manufacturing, and application of high-performance coatings for medical devices. Products coated include guidewires, MIS devices, stents, surgical instruments, and assay and diagnostic equipment. The company also manufactures its own brand of fluoropolymers. Turnkey services are available from project definition and design to quality control and JIT delivery. High-volume, flexible manufacturing capabilities enable production of both small quantities and larger weekly releases.
Boyd Coatings Research Company, Inc., Hudson, MA
www.boydcoatings.com

Contract Processing Services for Gas-Plasma Surface Treatment Are Available

Surface characteristics that can be achieved using a company’s plasma treatment include lubriciousness, hydrophobicity, and hydrophilicity for bonding like or different materials. Polymerized thin-film coatings can provide permanent surface enhancement. Coating thickness is typically less than a micron, so even the most critical part tolerances are not affected. Typical medical component applications include reduction of coefficient of friction on rubber or elastomer closures or seals, alteration of the retention property of the assay components and interface coating of metal components, to permit overmolding or bonding without the use of mechanical or chemical etching. PlasmaTech Inc., Erlanger, KY
www.plasmatechnology.com

Company Provides a Broad Range of Coatings

A company has developed a simple way to provide a broad range of coatings on a flat-fee basis. According to the company, this eliminates the need for complex licensing agreements and speeds up the development process. Dry and wet slip, antimicrobial, antithrombogenic, block, and scratch-resistant coatings are provided as one-component water-based materials, which are said to be safer and easier to use than traditional solvents and UV-cure coatings. Special packaging will do away with the handling of cross-linkers and minimize work error by allowing on-the-spot mixing of preweighed components. Surface Solutions Laboratories Inc., Carlisle, MA
www.coatings2go.com

Surface Treatment Can Improve the Adhesion of Medical Coatings on Stents

A surface treatment is said to improve the adhesion strength of medical coatings to stent surfaces. The company’s technology, Modisurf, can be applied to all geometries. The intensity of treatment can be adjusted with very tight tolerances, and microblind holes are uniformly distributed around the treated surface. The technology minimizes the risk of delamination from the stent surface even for very thin coating layers, and it allows the use of a wide range of polymers. MeKo Laser Material Processing, Sarstedt/Hannover, Germany
www.meko.de

Laser Marking Withstands Passivation

A company offers a laser marking and engraving service that complements most medical device manufacturing. The technique withstands the subsequent passivation process that most metal devices undergo. The company also offers prototype to production services in laser welding and laser micromachining. Mound Laser & Photonics Center Inc., Miamisburg, OH
www.mlpc.com

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