Medical CNC Machining: All You Need to Know
The medical industry requires products that are highly precise and should have the fastest lead time, meeting strict quality standards. Hence, CNC machining of medical components allows for a quick and accurate process of manufacturing medical parts.
You can read this article below to learn more about medical CNC machining.
Why Choose CNC Machining for the Medical Industry?
The field of medicine requires a lot of medical supplies, which are mostly manufactured using injection molding. To achieve accurate molds that are suitable for repeatable and consistent, CNC machining is used.
CNC machining helps manufacture precise molds. These molds ensure that the injection-molded products have the right tolerance. Apart from this, various components of medical machinery and prosthetics are also manufactured through CNC machining.
Advantages of Using CNC Machining for the Medical Industry
CNC machining offers seamless benefits for the medical industry, and some of these advantages are as follows:
Diverse Tooling Selection
CNC machining offers a very efficient method for manufacturing medical components that is accurate. Due to the versatility of tools, there’s no real need for specialized tooling.
There are multiple operations in CNC machining and hence, all types of shapes and components with complex geometries can easily be manufactured.
Supports Low Volume Production
Most machining methods require a certain volume for production. However, CNC machining doesn't require any specific volume. You can also produce low volumes of medical components.
Most of the specialized medical devices are manufactured through CNC machining in small quantities and have custom requirements like prosthetics and surgical products.
Flexibility for Material
CNC machines work through a digital CAD file with a program over which the tool works. Hence, when it comes to manufacturing medical components through CNC machining, there are versatile materials that can be used.
The options of material may vary among metals as well as plastics, and from simple to complex, all types of components are easily manufactured.
Quick Production
Medical CNC machining allows producing medical components quickly. Based on the complexity of the components, the parts can be manufactured in a few hours only and cater to medical emergencies.
Hence, the process offers suitability in the medical sector to meet tight deadlines.
High Accuracy and Tolerance
Medical devices need high accuracy and tight tolerance, and that can be achieved through CNC machining. The process of CNC machining minimizes the risk of errors as well as the requirement for surface finishing of medical components.
The precision and accuracy of the components ensure that they offer high quality and can meet the requirements of the healthcare sector.
Materials for Medical CNC Machining
Medical CNC machining consists of using different materials, including metals as well as plastic. Some of the commonly used materials for CNC machining medical components are given below:
Aluminum
It is a very lightweight material that offers excellent strength and corrosion resistance. Hence, it is suitable for use in the medical sector and is mostly opted for manufacturing IV stands, wheelchairs, and orthopedic instruments.
Stainless Steel
It is a highly durable, biocompatible, and corrosion-resistant material. Various applications in medicine, like replacements for hip joints, tweezers, and forceps, are manufactured using stainless steel.
Copper
Copper possesses seamless antiviral and antibacterial properties which makes it suitable for medical applications. It is suitable for switches and buttons used in medical equipment and also for dental implants.
Magnesium
Magnesium CNC components are biocompatible with a high strength-to-weight ratio and can be used in heart stents and bone graft replacements.
Delrin
Delrin is a rigid and dimensionally stable form of plastic that offers chemical resistance, and some CNC components manufactured using Delrin are used in medical applications. Some of these medical applications include inhalers, orthopedic implants, and forceps.
Acrylic
It is known for its optical clarity and impact resistance. Medical parts like dental prosthetics, lasers, protective shields, and contact lenses are manufactured through CNC machining acrylic.
Polycarbonate
It has high strength and optical clarity. It is used in connectors and tubing of medical devices. It can also be used in medical equipment such as housing and protective shields.
PEEK
PEEK is one of the most biocompatible thermoplastics, which is highly chemical resistant which makes it suitable for the medical industry. Even when exposed to harsh chemicals, it doesn't lose its stability. Hence, it is used in ventilator tubes, prosthetics, surgical clamps, and X-ray machines.
Polypropylene
It exhibits high resistance against chemicals and is suitable for sterilization. It is used in manufacturing components with high precision, like nebulizers, syringes, IV sets, and various other medical components are manufactured using it.
UHMW PE
It is used in the medical sector due to its high wear resistance and biocompatibility; catheters, trauma plates, and orthopedic implants are manufactured using it.
Nylon
Nylon is a versatile thermoplastic that is suitable for the medical industry due to its toughness and strength. It is used in clamps, dental equipment, forceps, and catheters.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Materials for Medical CNC Machining
When manufacturing CNC medical parts through the machining process, some of the factors to consider when choosing materials are the following:
Contact Period of Components
CNC medical equipment can be used in the body of a human either permanently or semi-permanently. Hence, the material selected must be durable and biocompatible. Such medical devices may consist of hearing aids, prosthetics, and artificial joints.
Metals like stainless steel and titanium offer high biocompatibility and, hence, are suitable for staying in contact with tissues of the human body. Apart from this, some forms of plastic, like acrylic, PU, and PET, are also suitable for long-term contact.
Chemical Resistance of Material
Medical products require consistent sterilization and cleaning so that they can be reused without any risk. These medical devices usually consist of testing equipment, surgical tools, ventilator tubes, etc.
The materials used in manufacturing such components must be chemical resistant so that they can be sterilized and cleaned back and forth.
Stainless steel proves to be a suitable choice in this case as it offers excellent chemical resistance. However, materials like aluminum and titanium are also chemical resistant but only by specific chemicals.
Some of the plastics like PEEK and PC are also suitable for being chosen for their chemical resistance.
Resistance Against Radiation
Radioactive rays are common in the medical field as many processes like MRI, chemotherapy, radiation, and X-rays are all sources of high radioactive rays. Hence, the material selected in related tools must be capable of resisting radiation in the long run.
Among the highly radiation-resistant materials, titanium is the most common one, and apart from this, plastics like PEEK, ABS, and PU are also used popularly.
Medical Applications of CNC Machined Parts
Medical machined parts commonly used in medical applications are the following:
Medical Implants
In CNC machining medical parts, the most important and commonly designed component is the implant. These implants are used for knee, hip, and spine replacements. These implants are needed in small quantities, which makes CNC machining suitable for manufacturing them, and they are also patient-specific.
Materials like stainless steel, PEEK, and titanium are used to manufacture them.
Medical Equipment
Medical equipment, like MRI machines, CT scan machines, monitors, and many more, can be composed of thousands of components. CNC machining helps in manufacturing these precise components used in the equipment.
The accuracy of the parts used in these machines is highly significant, and therefore, CNC machining helps meet it.
Surgical Tools
Surgical instruments like scissors, blade handles, spacers, clamps, saws, and biopsy tubes are manufactured through CNC machining. These surgical tools must meet the strict performance and safety standards of the healthcare industry.
Hence, a lot of care is required while machining these components, followed by thorough testing.
Key Design Consideration for CNC Machined Medical Parts
The design considerations for CNC machined medical parts may include the following:
- A simplified design is always one that offers affordability, high precision, and efficiency. Hence, the medical component may have a simple design by minimizing the usage of material, having standard radii, and simplifying the geometry of the shape.
- The traceability of the parts is very important in the medical industry especially when they have the same size and shape. In this case, opting for strong materials that may resist the sterilization process and offer biocompatibility helps.
- Medical components should have an appealing look, solid colors, appealing design, and enhanced features that help to make the medical component identifiable.
- The design of the medical components must be portable and convenient. Quick and easy transportation is a crucial aspect of the medical sector. Hence, materials like aluminum are lightweight and can be opted for. Moreover, ergonomic designs allow for quick transport.
- CNC machined medical components should be designed with the ease of maintenance in the long run in mind. It helps to ensure efficiency and increases the lifespan of the components.
Top Tips on Selecting a Medical Parts Manufacturer
The criticality of the medical sector can never be disregarded and it requires the right manufacturer of medical parts. Hence, some of the essential tips for choosing a reliable medical component manufacturer are the following:
- ISO 13485 and 9001 certifications are very important for a manufacturer to have when choosing the right CNC machining supplier. It ensures that the manufacturer is committed to maintaining high-quality management systems while manufacturing medical equipment.
- Medical devices are complex, and they need not only high-quality machining equipment but also a skillful team. Always look for the expertise of the supplier who has a successful track record of catering to various medical components and also is expert enough to deal with the challenges that come across while machining.
- A strict system of inspection is very important in manufacturing medical devices. Every component must meet the specifications required by medical applications and should function seamlessly.
Conclusion
Medical CNC machining needs biocompatibility, high precision, and high quality. Hence, selecting the right manufacturer for custom medical parts is very important.
DEK offers to manufacture customized components for your medical applications. We ensure that high-quality manufacturing practices are implemented at our manufacturing setups, and a team of experienced individuals keeps a check on quality.
