Holdson was approached by a leading company in the medical sector that was seeking to enhance the surface quality of titanium parts.
Made from Ti6Al4V and produced through additive manufacturing, it is critical that these components are smooth with no residual powder for biocompatibility. However, achieving the required surface finish using conventional methods presented challenges, as they involved lengthy cycle times, hazardous chemicals, and a high-risk operating environment.
The customer saw substantial value in additive manufacturing (AM) for producing components with complex geometries and reducing material waste. AM enables the design of intricate titanium parts within faster turnarounds. However, as-printed AM parts inherently have a rough surface finish, acting as a barrier to fully embracing AM as a manufacturing method.
For this customer, the roughness of the as-printed titanium parts required extensive post-processing to meet the strict quality standards demanded in med-tech, especially for implants. This high level of post-processing negated many of the cost and time-saving benefits of AM, making it difficult for the customer to justify a full transition away from conventional manufacturing.
Other methods the customer explored for post-processing were time-consuming, hazardous, and cost-intensive, often involving manual polishing or machining. These processes created operational bottlenecks and posed safety risks, particularly due to the use of toxic chemicals. Seeking a more efficient and environmentally-friendly solution, the customer turned to Holdson’s electroform™ technology, in an effort to overcome the limitations of AM and existing post-processing methods.
Holdson successfully reduced the customer’s titanium inplants’ surface roughness from an initial 10.95μm to a polished finish of 1.19μm, achieving the desired results with a 65% reduction in process cycle time compared to the customer’s current method.
The functionality of the medical implant was enhanced by reducing surface roughness to a level that optimises biocompatibility and integration with human tissue. The smoother, more uniform surface reduces the risk of bacterial adhesion, enhances the implant’s compatibility with surrounding tissue, and promotes better osseointegration, all of which are essential for the safety and longevity of medical implants in the body.
To read more, and see the before and after results, please download the case study.
