Electropolishing’s ability to eliminate surface defects and leave metal parts with an ultrasmooth, pathogen- and corrosion-resistant finish is why so many medical manufacturers use it as the final step in manufacturing.
But electropolishing of stainless steel and other metal alloys isn’t just a solution for new parts going out the door. Sometimes it’s the solution to an expensive problem involving parts already in use.
When a leading medical device manufacturer discovered that spots of corrosion had developed on the stainless-steel racks used in the production of a drug-infused urinary device, the problem was already costing the manufacturer $70,000 a month in products that had to be scrapped because contact with the corrosion had left the devices with small black marks at the point of contact.
The problem was critical, but so was the production timeline, and the manufacturer could not afford to shut down production while the racks were replaced.
After tracing the problem back to the racks that held the silicone devices in place during the medication infusion, a metallurgy expert recommended electropolishing the racks to remove surface defects and create an ultraclean, ultrasmooth surface, so production could resume while implementing a long-term solution to replace the racks and prevent the problem from recurring.
Electropolishing Proves Up to the Challenge for Medical Device Manufacturer on a Deadline
The manufacturer’s stainless steel racks had accumulated years of wear and tear, resulting in small areas of corrosion that left the medical devices unusable.
With the scrap rate climbing and product demand high, the manufacturer needed an urgent solution. Electropolishing enabled the business to safely resume production while it explored the options for replacing the equipment. Electropolishing delivered the high-quality results they needed and gave them the time to plan a long-term solution for replacing the racks every 5-10 years.
A Strategic Solution for Defect-Free Production Racks
Electropolishing uses a precise chemical and electrical process that strips away the top layer of metal parts, eliminating surface defects like microburrs, microcracks, corrosion, and other contaminants. In the case of the medical manufacturer, the results were nothing short of impressive, according to the lead engineer, and enabled seamless production to resume with a dramatically reduced scrap rate.
The Benefits of Electropolishing for Medical Manufacturing
Electropolishing has many benefits for manufacturers of medical parts and other industries with no room for error.
In addition to its ability to eliminate metal surface defects with microscopic precision, electropolishing leaves parts with 30 times the corrosion resistance of the passivation of stainless steel and other metals, and improves fatigue life.
Electropolishing is effective for a wide range of alloys, including stainless steel, aluminum, brass, carbon steels, copper, nickel, and specialty alloys, such as refractory metals like titanium and Nitinol, which are commonly used in medical manufacturing.
Medical manufacturers also benefit from electropolishing’s ability to leave metal parts with enhanced resistance to pathogen growth. The ultraclean, ultrasmooth finish of electropolished parts not only inhibits the formation of biofilms, which make dangerous pathogens more resistant to standard cleaning methods, but also makes reusable parts easier to clean.
