In medical device manufacturing, precision and biocompatibility are directly related to patient safety and therapeutic effects, and CNC machining technology, with its unique advantages, has become a key means to meet these two requirements.

High Precision: CNC’s Core Competitiveness.

The complex structure and tiny size of medical devices, such as cardiac stents of a few millimetres and artificial joints with high precision requirements, require stringent machining precision, and CNC achieves high precision through various aspects.

Control method: CNC adopts digital programming to convert machining actions into precise digital commands, avoiding human error and stabilising accuracy above 0.002mm. For example, when machining minimally invasive surgical instruments, CNC can accurately control the trajectory of the tool to ensure the size and angle of the tip of the instrument to ensure the accuracy of the surgery.

Equipment performance: The special CNC machine is equipped with high-precision spindle, guideway and feeding system. The high-precision spindle ensures high-speed and stable rotation of the tool and reduces machining errors; the high-rigidity guideway and feeding system ensures smooth movement of the tool and avoids vibration deflection. Like the cochlear implant shell machining, it can accurately machine complex curved surfaces on titanium alloy that conform to the shape of the ear canal, with minimal error to ensure the fit.

In addition, the CNC supports multi-axis linkage, which can machine the workpiece from multiple directions and complete the complex structure machining in one go, avoiding the accumulation of errors in multiple clamping. For example, when machining the porous structure of orthopaedic implants, the CNC can accurately machine the holes that meet the requirements to ensure the mechanical properties and the bonding effect with the bone.

II. Biocompatibility: CNC’s fine control.

Biocompatibility means that medical devices do not cause adverse reactions when they come into contact with the human body, and CNC realises this requirement through its fine control of material selection, machining process and surface treatment.

Material selection: CNC can process titanium alloy, stainless steel, ceramics and other materials with good biocompatibility. Taking titanium alloy as an example, CNC can precisely cut and grind to ensure its performance, and precisely control the amount of material removal to avoid excessive force to produce micro-cracks and other defects affecting biocompatibility.

In terms of machining process: CNC adopts cold machining, which does not generate high temperature, avoiding oxidation and phase change of materials and ensuring chemical stability. For example, when processing cardiovascular stents, cold machining maintains the corrosion resistance of stainless steel and prevents the release of harmful substances. At the same time, precise control of cutting parameters reduces surface roughness and avoids inflammation caused by burrs and scratches.

Surface treatment is the key to enhance biocompatibility: CNC machined surfaces with high precision provide a good foundation for subsequent treatment, making the treatment more uniform and effective. For example, when the surface of titanium implants is sandblasted or acid-etched, the high-precision surface ensures that the roughness and morphology of the treated surface meets the standards and enhances the bonding with the bone tissue.

III. CNC promotes the development of medical device manufacturing.

The advantages of CNC greatly promote the development of medical device manufacturing, improve product quality and safety, and shorten the development cycle.

In personalised manufacturing: CNC can accurately process artificial joints and prostheses according to the patient's CT data and 3D modelling, so as to realise personalised treatments, improve the results, and reduce the patient's pain and complications.

CNC has a high degree of automation: it enables mass production with good product consistency, ensures the quality stability of conventional medical devices such as syringes and surgical forceps, and reduces the risk of inconsistent quality.

In short, CNC plays an irreplaceable role in the manufacturing of medical devices, and with the development of technology, it will bring more breakthroughs to the industry and help the cause of human health.

Precision at the Micro Scale: How CNC Machining Powers—and Challenges—Next-Generation Endoscopes

Common ISO Standards in the Manufacturing Industry.

Precision at the Micro Scale: How CNC Machining Powers—and Challenges—Next-Generation Endoscopes

Common ISO Standards in the Manufacturing Industry.

Precision at the Micro Scale: How CNC Machining Powers—and Challenges—Next-Generation Endoscopes

Common ISO Standards in the Manufacturing Industry.

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