Abrasive flow machining uses flexible abrasive media that travels through internal component geometry, allowing the process to reach surfaces beyond the practical limits of many hand-finishing methods.
This can be especially valuable for medical parts containing small lumens, cross holes, fluid passages, and complex intersections.
Why Use AFM for Medical Components?
Medical manufacturing frequently combines small dimensions with high surface-quality requirements.
Machining may leave burrs and microscopic roughness behind even when overall component dimensions are correct.
Extrude Hone AFM uses AFM to address several of these conditions.The company's medical guidance identifies polishing, deburring, and radiusing as primary applications.
Suitable Medical Applications
Examples include:
- Surgical instruments
- Orthopedic components
- Spinal components
- Implantable devices
- Needles
- Cannulas
- Pumps
- Valves
- Drug-delivery parts
- Diagnostic instruments
Smooth, Radiused Edges
Sharp edges can be undesirable when a device enters or contacts the human body.
AFM allows abrasive media to work gradually on these edges and produce a smoother transition.
Extrude Hone AFM specifically notes that deburring and radiusing sharp edges can contribute to less destructive introduction of suitable medical components into the body.Surface Improvement and Contamination
Machined surfaces contain small peaks and valleys.
Reducing those irregularities can create a smoother surface and eliminate some of the microscopic recesses where contaminants might be retained.
Extrude Hone AFM's medical material associates AFM polishing with improved resistance to bacterial contamination because surface negatives are reduced.Medical manufacturers remain responsible for their applicable cleaning and sterilization procedures.
Kansas City Medical and Precision Manufacturing
Kansas City supports medical technology, healthcare manufacturing, precision machining, engineering, and advanced industrial production.
Companies in these sectors may need specialty finishing for components that conventional processes cannot reach effectively.
AFM provides a way to outsource this internal finishing while maintaining a process designed around the customer's specifications.
How AFM Is Customized
The media acts as a flexible finishing tool.
Extrude Hone AFM can adjust flow rate, pressure, viscosity, abrasive particle size, abrasive concentration, and other variables to alter how much material is removed.The company also offers media ranging from very fine honing formulations to aggressive surface-removal options.
Tooling and Repeatability
Tooling holds the medical component, directs abrasive flow, and protects areas that should remain untouched.
Once the correct process is developed, those controlled conditions can support repeatable finishing across multiple parts.
Materials
AFM can be used on titanium, hardened metals, superalloys, aluminum, bronze, copper, and other suitable metal workpieces.
Request Kansas City Medical Finishing
Call (562) 531-2976 to discuss medical device surface finishing for Kansas City, MO with Extrude Hone AFM.
FAQs
Can AFM polish orthopedic components?
Yes. Suitable orthopedic and spinal components can be polished, deburred, and radiused.
Can AFM finish internal fluid passages?
Yes. Internal medical fluid pathways are a strong application for the process.
Does Extrude Hone AFM serve Kansas City?
Yes. Extrude Hone AFM serves manufacturers nationwide.
