The artificial joints, diagnostic equipment, and therapeutic equipment are some examples of the wide variety of products that fall under the umbrella of the medical device industry. Despite this, there are frequently overlapping requirements in various applications, which can assist in reducing the number of possible material choices. For instance, the majority of the machinery needs to have surfaces that do not absorb moisture and can be easily disinfected.

Injection molding, 3D printing, and CNC machining are the most common methods utilized in the manufacture of components for medical devices. Machining with a CNC provides a number of benefits, including a high degree of customization, tight tolerances, a good surface finish, and certified material selection. Parts are typically milled using three to five axes when CNC machining is being performed, or they are turned using a live tool CNC lathe. The following is a list of the most common metals cnc machining parts and plastics used in the processing of medical device products.

Both low water absorption (also known as moisture resistance) and good thermal properties are characteristics of the plastics that are most frequently used in medical devices. The majority of the materials listed below are amenable to sterilization with gamma radiation, EtO, or an autoclave. The medical industry favors materials that have a lower surface friction and a better ability to resist temperature change. Plastics can be used as an alternative to metal in situations where magnetic or radio frequency signals may interfere with diagnostic results. This can include situations in which they come into direct or indirect contact with housings, fixtures, and rails.

The resin possesses favorable resistance to moisture, in addition to high wear resistance and low friction. Polycarbonate possesses superior mechanical and structural properties, in addition to having a tensile strength that is almost twice as high as that of ABS. Used extensively in a variety of applications requiring durability and stability, including those in the automotive, aerospace, and medical industries. Densification can be completed on solid-filled parts. PEEK is frequently utilized as a lightweight replacement for metal components in high-temperature and high-stress applications because of its resistance to chemicals, abrasion, and moisture, as well as its excellent tensile strength.

UHMWPE is a material that is used for a variety of applications. It has a high impact strength, high chemical resistance, low surface friction, unique wear and corrosion resistance, and it does not absorb moisture. Teflon outperforms most plastics in terms of both its chemical resistance and its performance in extremely high temperatures. It is not affected by the majority of different solvents and functions very well as an electrical insulator. PP possesses outstanding electrical properties and very low or even nonexistent hygroscopicity. It is able to support light loads for extended periods of time regardless of the temperature. It is possible to machine it into components that do not deteriorate when exposed to chemicals or corrosion.

Epoxy resin and fiberglass cloth, also known as epoxy grade industrial laminate and phenolic resin, are used to reinforce GaroliteG-10. This combination is also referred to as phenolic resin. This material is very resistant to the absorption of water and has a high strength. manufactured by computer numerical control. Garolite is frequently utilized in place of metal components in structural features that are unable to exhibit magnetic properties. The highest-quality machinable metals used in the medical device industry are naturally resistant to corrosion, can be sterilized, and are simple to clean. Stainless steels are extremely common because they do not rust, have magnetic properties that are either low or non-existent, and can be machined. It is possible to further increase the hardness of certain grades of stainless steel by treating them with heat. Handheld medical devices, implantable medical devices, and wearable medical devices can all benefit from the use of materials with a high strength-to-weight ratio, such as titanium.

A fabrication platform such as Xometry provides immediate pricing, offers lead times, and enables custom certification and inspection all within a single interface. This is beneficial for medical and dental projects that require machined titanium or smooth PTFE. Xometry eliminates the need for educated speculation when choosing the optimal material by employing experienced engineers and providing access to a vast library of design-for-manufacturability resources. Additionally, the platform assists you in selecting the most suitable machine shop for the project by CNC drilling parts matching jobs that are ordered through its AI-driven quoting platform with the most suitable manufacturing partner.

Speedo is able to provide you with a quote and an estimated delivery time for your medical or dental project, regardless of whether the project requires machined titanium or smooth PTFE. Sujia has knowledgeable engineers and a vast array of manufacturing resource design, and they are able to offer guidance to customers as they select the most appropriate material. Maintaining a fleet of sophisticated machines solely for the purpose of producing one-off prototypes is not feasible from a financial standpoint. The only way for these machines to earn their keep is if they are used in continuous production cycles. Outsourcing the prototyping process ensures that these overheads are not maintained, which is beneficial because a machine that is not being used costs money rather than saving it. In addition to this, it gives you the freedom to experiment with various CNC services strategies in case the ones you're using aren't producing the results you want.

The complex combination of cutting-edge materials and component parts that make up contemporary medical technology. Because of this, their production is dependent on a wide variety of technologies. Additionally, prototyping frequently requires the creation of functional test items, which in turn necessitates the use of multiple manufacturing methods. For instance, CNC machining offers a high level of precision in addition to a rapid turnaround time and compatibility with a wide variety of materials. Sheet metal fabrication offers components that are inexpensive, long-lasting, and able to accept a variety of surface treatments or coatings. 3D printing allows for the fabrication of complex geometries with internal cavities and features that are not possible with other technologies. Printing parts allows for this.

Injection molding provides unrivaled productivity and cost per part; however, because the tooling required for injection molding is so expensive, extreme caution is required whenever designing components for this manufacturing method. It is not possible to manufacture one-off prototypes using a fleet of advanced machines because doing so would be economically unfeasible. Only when they run continuous production cycles do these machines earn enough money to pay for themselves. A machine that is idle and not being used costs money rather than saving it. When prototyping is outsourced, these overhead costs are avoided because there is no need to maintain them. In addition to this, it enables one to experiment with various methods in the event that the methods currently being utilized do not produce the desired results.