When the pandemic came in 2020, everyone was locked in their home for months. This results in a shortage of workers at workplaces. In certain fields, you can work from home but in manufacturing industries, you need to come to your workplace. Instead of risking people’s lives, science took a step in the medicine industry. Computer Numerical Controlled machining rescued us from falling.
Manufacturers invested in the installation of CNC-based programs in machines and continued to meet the supply requirements of the market. Multiple companies are offering 3-axis, 4-axis, and even 5-axis rotary machines to build products. This article will tell you in which various areas of the medical industry CNC machining is used. But before that let’s read why one should choose medical products made with CNC services.
Importance of CNC-based products
The production process of CNC machining is many times faster than the traditional/manual manufacturing process. The accuracy and precision level obtained with CNC machines can’t be obtained by man-made processes. The reason is there’s always a chance of human error. One example of CNC-based medical products is the shield face masks which are usually made of plastic. These shielding covers are made with injection molding. The injection molds created with CNC are of high quality, reproducible and repeatable.
Alt text: Plastic injection molders
Key Points
- Diverse tooling selection
In the medical industry, doctors need multiple small tools with intricate details. One of the top requirements is cutting the need for multiple tools. And to device such a system where you can get a variety of small tools in lesser quantity. This need is accomplished by only CNC milling. CNC milling is quick as compared to manual production. Conventional production of tools usually requires up to 4 weeks to make a medical tool. But with the Lathe, you can achieve the goal at a much faster pace. You get top-notch tools with diverse roles.
- No rule of minimal order limit
If you order something in a conventional manufacturing unit, there is a requirement for a minimum order. Industries don’t take if the order limit is not up to a certain number. But with CNC machining this requirement rules out. Once you generate a CAD file of your required tool, you can cut and slice as many tools as you want.
This feature of milling helps us the most when the need is for a specific tool in prosthetic devices.
- Adaptable to multiple materials
Most of the materials that are used in the medical industry are stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, and plastics. CNC machines are flexible to diverse materials. The CNC routers can easily adjust themselves to the materials of different densities.
Applications of CNC milling in the Medical industry
CNC prototyping can be used to make a wide range of medical implants. A few of them are discussed below:
- Knee and hip replacement implants
The thing with the production of medical implants with CNC prototyping is they demand the highest level of precision. Because even if the slightest change happens, the patient’s well-being would be at risk. That’s why you need extra care when imprinting the structures of human body implants.
For the generation of knee and hip implants, CNC Swiss machines are used as their tolerance specificity is quite high. Moreover, such implants’ smooth finishing matters a lot. If they have rough finishing, they’ll cause discomfort to the patient. This discomfort can cause infection in the body as well. Keeping in view all the demands of knee and hip implants, CNC milling is chosen for their production.
Alt text: Knee and hip replacement implants
- Manufacturing of surgical tools
Surgical scissors, blades, benders, clamps, and scalpels have complex geometries and robotic arms. The purpose of robotic arms is the minimize invasion of the body during surgeries. These specifications are obtained with the CNC technology.
- X-ray machines, MRI, and Ventilators
CNC machining is used in building the levers of X-ray machines, CT scanners, and Media Resonance Imaging (MRI). these devices do not need any biocompatibility. Other than the levers, switches, circuits, and casings are also built with CNC turning. An intricate and regulatory structure of such machines is built with automation eliminating error chances.
- Orthopedic hardware
The broken or damaged bones are usually fixed with the screws, plates, and rods. Screws and plates are very commonly used orthopedic hardware devices. As these devices have a direct connection with human tissues, they must be made with extreme care and the highest accuracy. Only CNC machining and automation like this can make such delicate materials whose geometry is of perfect size.
- Dental implants
Dental implants are a customized thing. Dentists highly depend on CNC machines for making customizable implants for each patient. Along with that the drillers, forceps, and scalers are also made under the CNC guidelines. They have an equal role in implanting a perfect piece of art in someone’s mouth.
All the above-mentioned implants require special care, manufacturing, and sterilization techniques. Without a perfect automated manufacturing unit, you can’t get the desired results. The material you choose for making those implants must be also durable. Let’s see what factors should be considered while manufacturing a human body implant.
Alt text: Automation of dental implants
Factors for choosing the right material
Choosing the right type of material for medical equipment requires quite a brainstorming. Multiple factors are kept in mind while choosing the material for a medical tool. Each tool must be made of a specific material to keep it long-lasting. Some tools work best when made of a specific material. Along with that, while choosing a medical tool, its malleability, tolerance, and flexibility are noted as well. Let’s read which factors one must keep in mind:
- If you implant something in a body like a pacemaker or prosthetic device, the material must be long-lasting. As these devices are a permanent part of the body and rarely require change, choose the biocompatible material. Stainless steel and Titanium have the highest biocompatibility. Some devices’ requirement is plastic polymer and acrylics. These are also good options to use.
- Those instruments which require continuous cleaning with a chemical should be made of material that is chemical resistant. Again stainless steel is the best choice for this, as it is resistant to alcohols, and other acids. Ventilators, surgical tools, and diagnostic kits fall under this category.
- Radiation-resistant materials are X-rays and MRI machines. Continuous exposure to multiple types of radiation can cause the material to be toxic. Titanium is a radiation-resistant material. Choose X-ray machines of titanium. Some people also select the resins for making the radiation-resistant tool.
- Sterilizing objects is very important in medicine. Steam and certain chemical vapors are used to sterile instruments. Hence, the instrument should be of a material that can tolerate the sterilization process.
- When the matter is of delivering a drug into a patient’s body, the drug delivery dispenser must be non-dissipative. This means that the drug remains and aerosols should not stick to the dispenser and the drug should be efficiently delivered to the patient. Choosing a dispenser of stainless steel, anti-static plastic, titanium, or copper can solve this issue for you.
- Artificial joints and prosthetic devices made of chromium cobalt alloys, stainless steel, or titanium are highly bio-compatible, corrosion-resistant, and wear-resistant.
Alt text: Stainless steel-made Surgical tools
From the above requirements, we’ve noticed that the most popular choice is aluminum and stainless steel for designing medical equipment or the parts of tools.
Tips and tricks to design Medical instruments with automation
Using CNC milling for the manufacturing of Medical instruments is not as simple as it seems. The process is complex. It needs fine detailing. It needs an operator to look after it. And you need some tips to make your instrument’s working 100%.
Use Simple designs
Don’t make your design complex, if it is not the demand of equipment. Avoid unnecessary furnishing. Complex designs require more cost. Simple designs could be done with much better precision than complex ones. So, use standard fillets, and simple geometrical shapes.
Eye-catching design
Try to make designs that are eye-catching and look appealing to the customer. Along with good sales, visually appealing designs also distinguish your product from the rest of the market. Using a good color scheme and delicate design helps in this matter. Also, you can highlight the parts of your product. This could be done by having fancy buttons and nice textures of tools and equipment.
Use dark colors
Dark colors can help you distinguish between the small details and features of the equipment. Strong colors also help in differentiating the multiple versions of a part. But please make sure that the color you are using is compatible with its use. For example, in the medical industry, some colors are not biocompatible and can’t be used in body implants. Some colors are unable to tolerate high temperatures of steam. So keep all the things aligned while choosing colors in CNC machines.
Make instruments portable
In medical settings, sometimes instruments need to be transported from one place to another. So, make that kind of medical device that is very handy and portable and can be detached whenever required.
Future Perspectives of CNC machining in the Medical field
With the ever-changing trends of this era, there’s always room for upgradation in the innovation of medical instruments, tools, and pieces of equipment. The emerging trends are forcing everyone to take part in this race and advance their pace of work. Some of the major trends with which you must pace up are the following:
- Use the most advanced material in the manufacturing of your new tools. Upgrade your old tools with the new ones. For example, nowadays bioresorbable polymers are used. And CNC machining is very compatible with the new materials.
- Don’t just rely on the CNC milling. Use the other technologies in combination with lathe. For example, 3D printing. It would be a win-win situation for both technologies as you get the best results.
- We can’t force you enough to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into your lifestyle. Use AI and Machine Learning (ML) in structuring the designs of your tools. AI will help you understand whether this design suits your equipment function or not.
- The medical field has advanced so much that first-world countries are using personalized medicines for patients. So, invest in it in your country and take it to new heights of success.
Can 5 Axis be used in the Medical Industry?
Just like the field of aviation, where precision, accuracy, and cutting-edge technology are the need of the hour. In the medical field, laser cutting is as important as in aerospace. Recently, it has been noticed that the world has moved with the speed of light from 3-axis to 5-axis in the Medicine industry. In designing the implants, surgical tools, and prosthetic devices, the laser cutting technology of the 5 axis is used. 5-axis cuts and shapes the implants just as they fit the patient’s anatomy like the real organ. 5-axis machining is so much used in designing orthopedic hardware. Surgical tools are designed and shaped in such a micro-detailing way that surgical operations can be helped as much as possible. The purpose of all this personalization is to make things easier for everyone and get the best outcomes.
Conclusion
The usage of CNC prototyping in the medical industry is one hundred percent the right choice. The amount of precision this field requires could only be possible with an automated system. Only computer-based programs can handle the workload in emergencies.
With the advancement of every field, it is our responsibility to upgrade our health field as well. The higher the precision, the higher the accuracy nourishes improved healthcare systems of a society.
At Zintilon, we provide top-notch facilities and services in the medical equipment department. Our services comply with the customer’s requirements. Search for us and get highly accurate and top-quality CNC-designed products.