The makers of medical products typically outsource the machining of a variety of component parts, so there is a great opportunity for CNC machine shops to gain new customers in the medical machining market. The products these companies make may be as simple as a dental implant, as complex as a CAT scanner and as unique as a custom-fit prosthesis. As is true when approaching any new market, there are a number of important considerations. Here are 7 frequently asked questions from CNC machine shops that are interested in medical machining.
- What are the most common types of medical machining? Typically contract shops are involved in:
- Micromachining of tiny, highly-precise implants
- Custom machining of replacement joints, prosthetics and other items that must be adapted to an individual’s body
- High volume machining of turned parts like dental implants or injection needles
- Prototype machining of new medical products
- Producing small runs of large families of parts
- What certifications are required? Manufacturing most medical parts require following and carefully documenting procedures including providing part identification for traceability. Once you determine the kinds of medical machining services you wish to provide, you’ll need to determine and acquire the appropriate certifications.
- Do you need expertise with exotic materials? Many medical parts are made from Titanium or sophisticated alloys. If you don’t have experience working with these types of materials, you’ll need the help of applications experts.
- What kind of equipment is required? The demands of dealing with exotic materials, tight tolerances and zero-defects means that you must have CNC machines and peripherals designed for these tasks. Depending on the nature of medical parts you plan to produce, you need to have equipment that will enable you to make the parts as accurately and efficiently as possible. Critical CNC machine considerations include spindle horsepower and maximum RPM, Tool changer capacity, through spindle coolant and more.
- Is multi-axis machining required? Medical parts machining is a highly competitive business. Successful shops strive to complete machining operations on one machine with the fewest setups and fixtures. 5-Axis Machining Centers are often an excellent solution.
- What about documentation and traceability? The FDA (Food & Drug Administration) issues strict regulations for manufacturing and tracking medical devices. A recent development is a new FDA focus on auditing smaller shops that supply components to the OEMs. Therefore it’s a great advantage to have a CNC control, that is well suited for documenting setup, quality control and adherence to standards.
- Does your CNC machine supplier understand the medical market? Haas CNC specialists can help you select the right machine tools, provide expert applications assistance, and call on years of machining experience. Learn more from your Torrance Haas Factory Outlet. Call (310) 381-0750, email: jphillips@haasfactoryoutlet.com, or visit www.haasfactoryoutlet.com.