Braze Alloy Service Shortens Lead Time for Medical, Aerospace Components

October 18, 2018 / BRAZING NEWS, FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

A global leader in materials manufacturing, headquartered in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom, has recently shortened lead time for its braze alloy service in the U.S., specifically in support of mission critical components used in aerospace, medical and industrial applications.

Morgan Advanced Materials, which manufactures specialist products, using carbon, advanced ceramics, and composites, announced that its Braze Alloys business has enhanced service for customers using its braze alloy solutions. The FTSE 250 company can provide precious and non-precious braze alloys, pre-sintered preforms (PSPs), and braze inhibitors like Stopyt, that prevent the unwanted flow of molten brazing filler metals.

Braze Alloys manufactures braze alloys in configurations that are specific to customers’ requirements. A large number of assemblies that are made using Morgan materials are designed to tight specifications, while the alloys themselves can be developed to suit requirements. Many applications of braze alloys are used in research and development projects and information and data are needed quickly for small-run orders. To facilitate this urgency from contract braze houses, Morgan has created a dedicated resource to handle these inquiries, while reducing lead times on commonly used alloys.

Adam Ebert, Business Development Manager at Morgan’s Braze Alloys Business

“One of Morgan’s strongest competencies is its superior materials research and development. This is a key reason for why our braze alloys are so popular and trusted,” said Adam Ebert, Business Development Manager at Morgan’s Braze Alloys Business. “We’re keen to continue delivering our knowledge and our braze alloys in as quick a timeframe as possible. This has seen us reduce our lead times on some of the most common braze alloy products, including our popular Nioro alloys, as well as gold-copper alloys and copper-silver alloys. We’re now aiming for a three-day turnaround on any product across the whole of the US.”

Morgan launched its Metals and Joining Center of Excellence (CoE), located in Hayward, California, in October 2017 to deliver new material science and process solutions.

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Medical Device Manufacturer Acquires Metal and Silicon Nitride Developer

September 27, 2018 / FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS, NITRIDING NEWS

A medical device design, development, and manufacturing company recently announced plans to acquire an innovative biomaterials and OEM company that develops and commercializes silicon nitride for various biomedical applications including orthopedic, dental and arthroplasty.

Amedica Corporation announced that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with CTL Medical, based in Dallas, Texas, medical device manufacturer with in-house manufacturing facilities that focuses on the spine implant and instrument market. The agreement will make CTL Medical the exclusive owner of Amedica’s portfolio of metal and silicon nitride spine products, with access to future silicon nitride spine technologies.

Dr. Sonny Bal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amedica

As part of the up to $10 million transaction, CTL Medical will acquire Amedica’s entire existing inventory of spine products, including US and OUS regulatory clearances and intellectual property related to such. Amedica’s products, which are presently sold under the brand names of Taurus, Preference, and Valeo will be transferred to CTL Medical, while manufacturing, R&D, and all intellectual property related to the core biomaterial technology of silicon nitride will remain with Amedica in Salt Lake City. Amedica will serve as CTL’s exclusive OEM provider of silicon nitride products.

Following the purchase, CTL Medical will change its name to CTL Amedica. Amedica will re-position under a new name that is reflective of the breadth of its technology and potential applications.

“The transaction makes strategic sense, by monetizing our commercial spine sales organization and allowing Amedica to focus on its core biomaterials and OEM business,” said Dr. Sonny Bal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amedica. “The addition of a highly-differentiated silicon nitride and metal product line to CTL Medical’s complete offering of spine surgery implants and instruments will benefit both companies, as well as our surgeon customers. Amedica’s products and scientific data have established that silicon nitride resists bacteria, promotes bone healing, and has superior clinical outcomes. CTL Medical is best positioned to profitably leverage these advantages in the retail spine market.”

CTL Medical produces a full line of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar products (hence “CTL”) at its manufacturing headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

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Thermomechanical Process Aids in Development of Elastic Metal Rods to Treat Scoliosis

August 23, 2018 / FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: Medical Design Briefs

Canadian and Russian medical science technology researchers have been collaborating on a project to develop an industrial technology for the production of metal rod stocks used for creating modern bone implants, particularly for implants to treat spinal problems such as scoliosis. They recently published the success of their work — which includes a form of heat treating.

Vadim Sheremetyev, one of the research authors and a senior research associate at NUST MISIS. (Photo supplied by NUST MISIS)

Scientists at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) MISIS (Moscow, Russia) along with colleagues from the Ecole de Technologie Superiore (Montreal, Canada), announced the development of a new combination of alloy processing that produces solid and durable implants that are fully compatible with the human body. The research article is published in the Journal of Alloys and Compounds.

“The working material of this new generation of alloys is based on Ti-Zr-Nb (titanium-zirconium-niobium), which possesses so-called superelasticity, meaning it can restore its original shape against large and repeated deformation. Ti-Zr-Nb is also noted for its high mechanical strength and resistance to corrosion.”

“Our method of combined thermomechanical processing of alloys — in particular, radial-displacement rolling and rotary forging — allows researchers to get the highest quality blanks for biocompatible implants by controlling their structure and properties. Such processing of blanks gives them an outstanding resistance to fatigue and overall functional stability,” said Vadim Sheremetyev, one of the research authors and a senior research associate at NUST MISIS.

Also: “Scientists Develop Elastic Metal Rods to Treat Scoliosis” National University of Science and Technology MISIS

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ECG Technology Allows Robust Processing of Heat-Treated Steel

August 16, 2018 / FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

A medical devices design and manufacturing firm recently expanded its Electrochemical Grinding (ECG) technology, enabling it to provide more robust processing of harder materials such as spring-tempered steel and heat-treated stainless steel.

Cadence Inc, which is headquartered in Staunton, Virginia, installed its latest equipment for processing profile grinding- shavers and related products at the company’s Cranston, Rhode Island, facility. The expansion incorporates high precision, burr-free grinding with CNC control

“This latest technology allows us to produce high precision, burr-free point grinding, as well as complex geometries with a cost-effective process for our customers,” stated John Rose, Senior Project Engineer at Cadence RI. “Some of our current operations such as tube cutting, stylet notch cuts, and trocar tip forms are now burr free in one efficient process.”

The new ECG technology also allows grinding to extremely tight tolerances and very low cutting forces for thin wall parts. Furthermore, Cadence can cut almost all types of metals burr-free with this new technology.

In addition to medical devices, Cadence manufactures life science and industrial products.

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Medical Grade Stainless Steel “Smart Stent” Detects Narrowing of Arteries

July 13, 2018 / FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

For every three individuals who have had a stent implanted to keep clogged arteries open and prevent a heart attack, at least one will experience restenosis—the renewed narrowing of the artery due to plaque buildup or scarring—which can lead to additional complications.

Now, a team led by UBC electrical and computer engineering professor Kenichi Takahata has developed a type of “smart stent” that monitors even subtle changes in the flow of blood through the artery, detecting the narrowing in its earliest stages and making early diagnosis and treatment possible.

“We modified a stent to function as a miniature antenna and added a special micro-sensor that we developed to continuously track blood flow. The data can then be sent wirelessly to an external reader, providing constantly updated information on the artery’s condition,” said Takahata.

The device uses medical-grade stainless steel and looks similar to most commercial stents. Researchers say it’s the first angioplasty-ready smart stent—it can be implanted using current medical procedures without modifications.

Research collaborator Dr. York Hsiang, a UBC professor of surgery and a vascular surgeon at Vancouver General Hospital, noted that monitoring for restenosis is critical in managing heart disease.

“X-rays such as CT or diagnostic angiograms, which are the standard tools for diagnosis, can be impractical or inconvenient for the patient,” said Hsiang. “Putting a smart stent in place of a standard one can enable physicians to monitor their patient’s health more easily and offer treatment, if needed, in a timely manner.”

The device prototype was successfully tested in the lab and in a swine model. Takahata, who holds patents for the technology, says his team is planning to establish industry partnerships to further refine the device, put it through clinical trials and eventually commercialize it.

The research is described in the May issue of Advanced Science and featured on its front cover. Engineering researcher Xing Chen, now a research associate at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and Babak Assadsangabi, a postdoctoral fellow at UBC’s faculty of applied science, also contributed to the study.

Photo credit: University of British Columbia; photo caption: The device uses medical-grade stainless steel and looks similar to most commercial stents.

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Heat Treatment to Strengthen Stents

June 18, 2018 / MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

Source: Buehler.com

Manufactured from titanium, 316L steel, cobalt chromium alloys, platinum chromium, titanium (Ti6Al4VELI) and nitinol alloys, medical stents are a critical component in treatments that require mesh scaffolding to open blocked vessels or ducts. In order to validate the thickness of the walls or strengthen the stent where modifications have taken place, manufacturers utilize laser machining, which can result in microstructural changes to the alloy. Heat treatment enters as a vital process to relieve internal stresses and improve fatigue properties.

“Nitinol stents which are generally self-expanding utilize the elastic properties of the alloy and require a shape-setting process to fix the final shape of the stent,” write Dr. E. Mogire and D. Crozet in a paper recently published by Buehler.

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Medical Devices Manufacturer Modernizes Furnaces with Process Control Upgrades

June 1, 2018 / FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

A medical implants manufacturer recently modernized three vacuum furnaces at its Memphis, Tennessee, facility, with process control upgrades from a provider of industrial process control and automation to heat treatment and combustion markets.

Orchid Orthopedic Solutions (Orchid Memphis) commissioned the upgraded process controls from United Process Controls (UPC), headquartered in West Chester, Ohio, for Ipsen VFS vacuum furnaces, retrofitting two furnaces with replacement controls and a total control system replacement for the third furnace. Orchid Memphis was contending with underperforming controls that were compromising furnace efficacy, productivity, and uptime. Additionally, insufficient automation made it harder to push towards a paperless approach to reporting, traceability, and diagnostics.

All systems feature Protherm 700 controllers, and soft start panels were introduced to help lower energy costs during quenching. The upgraded systems also include chart recording and recipe control, the latter of which incorporates specific programming for automatic leak test cycles and guaranteed soak for medical industry requirements – tasks that were previously monitored and recorded manually. The improvements also make it easier for Orchid Memphis to streamline its maintenance process and manage maintenance tasks. This way, leak-up rates, events, and alarms are automatically and accurately reported. Moreover, upgrading with new controls and automation ensures that Orchid Memphis meets the more complex and stringent requirements of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for medical implants.

“There was no need to start from scratch,” noted Rob Freeman, UPC services engineer heading the upgrade. “The furnaces were robust, but existing controls needed re-engineering to enhance the flexibility of operations and to meet the specific needs of Orchid Memphis in a cost-effective manner. By maintaining a focus on long-term operations, furnaces were upgraded to new business demands without incurring high upfront costs associated with new assets.”

Another key aspect of the upgrade was SCADA integration leading to unified operations. In the final stage of the project, the furnace controls were connected to the Protherm 9800 automation platform, which is configured to improve workflow efficiency, optimize furnace utilization, track work orders, and view real-time performance metrics.

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Indiana Heat Treater Builds to House HIP, New Equipment

May 23, 2018 / AEROSPACE HEAT TREAT, FEATURED NEWS, HIPING NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT

A vacuum heat treater which specializes in processing components for aerospace and medical applications recently announced an addition to its facility in Warsaw, Indiana, for the purpose of housing newly acquired equipment.

Lake City Heat Treating has expanded with the construction of a 6,000-square foot addition to accommodate growth in production and an increase in its heat treating capabilities. The new building allows Lake City Heat Treating the space to bring in new machines and equipment, including a new hot isostatic press in late fall 2018.

Lake City Heat Treating provides heat treating of stainless steels, cobalt and nickel alloys and vacuum heat treatable steels for aerospace, medical and other quality-critical industries, as well as cryogenic, hot isostatic pressing, and tempering services.

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Heat Treatment Sector to Contribute to Medical Technology Research for Improved Health Care, Medical Devices

May 14, 2018 / FEATURED NEWS, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

The Heat Treatment Pty Ltd. of Queensland, Australia, will contribute to a new research hub set to drive advances in Australia’s medical technology sector by developing cost-competitive technologies for the rapid production of medical devices.

Researchers from The University of Queensland’s Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology have teamed up with experts from industry, government, and academia to launch the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Advanced Manufacturing of Medical Devices (AMMD Hub).

With researchers based at Cook Medical Australia, the AMMD Hub will focus on the development of advanced materials, improved manufacturing technologies and flexible processing capabilities.

UQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj said one of the key goals for this hub was to create better health outcomes for patients in Australia and around the globe.

“One of the intended outcomes is to reduce the time it takes to design, manufacture and supply custom-made medical devices such as endovascular stent grafts for patients with aortic aneurysm – an increasingly common condition that currently has post-rupture survival rates of only 10 to 20 per cent,” said Professor Høj. “It’s an exciting venture with lots of potential, and we look forward to celebrating the results.”

Professor Sue Thomas, Australian Research Council CEO

Researchers have already begun work in the area of lean manufacturing to improve the production times of custom-made devices to surgeons. Projects looking at adaptive automation systems, metallic biomaterials, and collaborative robotics are also underway.

“This Research Hub’s industry-focused research collaboration will develop new, advanced materials and processes that will not only lead to tangible health outcomes for Australians but also drive new technologies and skills that are vital for the competitiveness of Australia’s medical devices industry,” said Professor Sue Thomas, Australian Research Council CEO.

The AMMD Hub brings together researchers from UQ, The University of the Sunshine Coast, The University of Sydney and RMIT with industry partners including Cook Medical Australia Pty Ltd., Robert Bosch (Australia) Pty Ltd., Heat Treatment (Qld) Pty Ltd. and QMI Solutions Ltd.

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Economy Spring Plans Move to New Facility, Expanding Manufacturing Capacity

March 27, 2018 / MEDICAL HEAT TREAT, MEDICAL HEAT TREAT NEWS

A Connecticut producer of precision metal components plans to relocate its manufacturing operations to a significantly larger facility in Southington, Connecticut in early 2019.

Economy Spring, whose current facility is pictured here, plans relocation to larger facility.

Economy Spring, an MW Industries company, announced that this expansion is fueled by the rapid growth of Economy Spring’s coiled springs, wire forms, and product assemblies sold to customers in medical and pharmaceutical applications. The new 216,000 square foot facility will be over twice the footprint of the existing Southington facility. Equipment will be moved in various stages during 2018 and 2019 with no expected operational impact to customers.

The company manufactures a broad range of medical and pharmaceutical products such as but not limited to surgical staples, hypodermic needles, and implantable titanium products.

“Economy Spring’s growth means we need more space to meet future customer demand. By selecting a facility just a mile down the road, we expect complete retention of our committed, technical, and highly experienced workforce,” explained Tim Thompson, senior vice president and general manager of Economy Spring. “Our transition plans include building finished goods inventory and communicating closely with customers to ensure a seamless transition.”

Photo credit: Pixabay

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