Challenges and perspectives of material processing services in the medical industry

Material processing allows the creation of high quality components for medical equipment. It plays an important role in the production, as well as the regulating process. Due to the implementation of various material processing methods, it is possible to adjust the equipment to the individual needs of the user and greatly improve its safety. 

Material processing in the medical industry 

Material processing in the medical industry consists of milling, welding, and laser cutting. 

Milling 

Milling is an advanced manufacturing process that uses a cutting tool mounted on a rotating spindle and allows selective removal of material from a block of raw substrate. It enables the production of medical equipment from a vast variety of materials, including surgical grade stainless steel, titanium, polypropylene, and polyethylene. Milling holds a great significance for the creation of high quality components. It provides precise and smooth surfaces and is used to ensure that small parts of medical equipment fit together accurately and function as intended. In short, milling services play an important role in the process of adjusting medical equipment to the individual needs of the user, and help improve the safety of medical devices.

Welding 

Welding is a fabrication process used to join metals or thermoplastics. It causes the fusion of the parts by applying high heat and melting them together. Welding offers durability, structural integrity, biocompatibility, and the integration of the electronics. It establishes strong, resilient, and permanent joint links. Welding is used in manufacturing of medical equipment and plays an important role in the reparation of said appliances. There are two methods of welding currently in use in the medical industry: 

• laser beam welding – a non-contact process that uses a focused beam of light to melt two pieces together and is characterized by high-power density and small heat-affected zone, 
• resistance welding – a process that uses current resistance to generate welding heat and create a fusion, solid-state or reflow weld. 

Laser cutting 

Laser cutting is a material processing method that uses high-powered laser beam to slice different types of metals, such as steel, titanium, brass, copper, and aluminum, with accuracy and precision. The beam is directed towards the surface of the material in order to melt or vaporize it to create a clean, definite cut. Laser cutting is used to manufacture a vast variety of medical equipment, mainly surgical equipment, implants, implantable medical devices, and different medical tools. It is also applied in the prototyping of medical equipment, which is fundamental to the product design and development process. Laser cutting technology offers sterility, safety, and the ability to create delicate, complex components. With the use of this production method it is possible to manufacture high quality customized medical equipment that matches both clinical demands and individual needs of the user. 

Challenges of material processing for the medical field 

Material processing for the medical field faces many challenges. It needs to offer high quality, innovation, reliability, and be capable of developing equipment capable of improving the lives of people in need. Moreover, material processing for the medical field has to comply with the strict regulations and standards applicable in the field of medical devices, including ISO 9001, and ISO 13485 medical devices, which ensure the quality of the product and the manufacturer’s focus on the users’ needs. 

The importance of precision for material processing in the medical industry 

Material processing for the medical industry needs to be characterized by precision and accuracy. These qualities ensure consistency and repeatability of the manufacturing process, as well as its compliance with the applicable standards of production. Accuracy also helps prevent even the microscopic inaccuracies which can have severe consequences for the functionality, reliability, and safety of the medical device.