Bonding Capillaries, Wedges, Pick Up Tools and Dispensing Nozzles Epoxies, Adhesives, Thermoplastic Films and Thermal Gel and Greases Micro-Abrasive blasting equipment, media and systems UV Curing equipment, spares and accessories Wafer, dicing and protective tapes including UV and pressure release tapes Thin Film & Thick Film Chip Resistors, Arrays, Networks, Attenuators, MOS Chip Capacitors and Jumpers Precision Die Bonders, pick and place systems, die eject systems and wafer film mounters

Abrasives

Adhesives & Epoxies

Air Dryers

Blast Cabinets (Abrasive)

Bonding Capillaries

Bonding Wedges

Chip Capacitors

CO2 Cleaning

Custom Product Solutions

CPU Cooling (Cool-Silver)

Die Bonders

Die & Pin Eject Systems

Dicing & Wafer Tapes

Die Pickup Tools

Dispensing Systems

Diamond Wheel Dressing Solution

Dust Extraction 

Electronic Packages & Lids

Epoxy Stamping & Dispensing

Hot Gas/Rework Station

Ink Coating & Handling

Machine Guards (Custom Made)

Mask & Substrate Alignment

Maintenance & Shop Supplies

Micro Abrasive Systems

Micro Blaster Accessories

Micro Blasting Services

Pick & Place Systems

Printing Supplies &  Equipment

Resistors - Thin Film

Resistors - Thin Film Microwave & RF

Resistors - Thick Film

Safety Products

Silicon Doping Stains

Soldering Equipment

Solderability Testers

Solitec Spinners, Coaters and Developer support

Steam Aging Equipment

Storage Cabinets (Dry / Nitrogen & Custom)

Surface Abrader

Tapes (Wafer, Dicing & Protective)

Tape / Film Applicator / Mounters

UV Curing Control & Test Equipment

UV Curing Equipment

Wafer Backlap Applicator

Wire Bonding Wedges

 

 

Home Page

Applications

Contact Us 

Data Sheets

Links

Map & Directions

News

Products By Manufacturer

Site Map

Spares & Servicing

 

Applications/Micro Abrasive Blasting/Medical Manufacturing Applications

MEDICAL MANUFACTURING APPLICATIONS

 

Micro-abrasive blasting is a technology that is increasingly sought out by medical device manufacturers.  MicroBlasters® are improving production quality and efficiency in medical manufacturing worldwide in such areas as:

Catheter/Guide wire: Micro-abrasive blasting is currently used in catheter manufacturing to remove polymer coverings from small selected areas and to remove PTFE coatings from guide wire.  The process is also extremely effective at preparing surfaces to promote bond and coating adhesion.

Sodium Bicarbonate media, with its sharp cutting action and water solubility characteristics, is ideally suited for these types of applications.

Needles/Tubular components: During the tube grinding process, a burr known as a ‘heel burr’ forms and must be removed.  Holes or slots that are laser machined in the tubing and may also require deburring.

Additional applications include selective texturing of the tube surface prior to over-molding and light abrading to impart an echogenic or etched surface finish.

Alumniunm Oxide and Glass Bead media are the most common blasting materials for these types of applications.

Vascular stents: The vascular stent manufacturing process generates undesirable material deposition on the OD and ID of the devices.  Oxidation and discoloration can also form on them during production.  The micro-abrasive blasting process is widely used by stent manufacturers to remove the unwanted materials without altering the intricate geometry of the devices.

MicroBlasting is used to lightly texture the stent prior to the application of special coatings.

Aluminum Oxide and Silicon Carbide are typically used for stent abrading.

Implantable devices: Bone screws, plates and implantable prostheses often have intersecting holes or slots which are difficult to deburr by conventional means but can be deburred easily by MicroBlasting.  Texturing may be required on these devices for example, to promote tissue growth around the implant.  The micro-abrasive blasting process performs this task with precision and repeatability.

Silicon Carbide, Aluminum Oxide and Glass Bead are usually selected for blasting these types of products.

Medical Molding: Injection molding is used to produce a vast range of medical devices and disposable components.  The tooling needed to mold these products is very expensive and requires periodic maintenance to the mold cavities.

MicroBlasting is used to clean and restore surface finishes without introducing dimensional changes to the mold cavity.  Additionally, micro-abrasive blasting is used to remove EDM residue and to texture the surface of the cavity on a new mold.

Crushed Glass, Walnut Shell, Glass Bead, and Plastic media are all used for cleaning molds; Aluminum Oxide and Silicon Carbide however, are used for cavity texturing.

Medical Electronics: Electronic components are prominent in medical diagnostic and surgical instruments, as well as implantable devices such as cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators. 

Micro-abrasive blasting has been used to selectively remove silicone insulation to expose an electrical conductor on defibrillators.  It can also remove excess encapsulation material from cardiac pacemakers.

Electronic diagnostic and surgical equipment contain printed circuit boards that have a conformal coating applied to the components of the board to protect against environmental conditions.  Often replacement of failed components is necessary. Micro-abrading can selectively remove the coating so that the device can be removed and replaced.

Sodium Bicarbonate is frequently used for electronic applications.  Plastic media and Walnut Shell are also very effective for coating removal.

For more information about microblasting in medical applications, read the following articles featured in industry magazines:

Production Machining: Surface Treatment for Medical Parts

Medical Product Manufacturing News: “Bringing it All In-House”

Medical Product Manufacturing News: “Metal Fabricator Gains Competitive Advantage through Automation”

Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry: Microblasting: Expanding Options

Cutting Tool Engineering: "It's a Blast"

Also see the following PDF documents:

Application Overview: Processing Medical Implant Devices

Dental Implant Applications

Ring Nozzle for Wire Stripping Applications

Bone Screw Applications

 

18/01/2012 03:50

EPAK
Latest  News:
 

06.07.2011

NEW Comco CTR200 Procenter Plus Workstation /Dust Extractor

Lighter, brighter, cleaner and quieter.

09.03.2011

Custom Flex Circuit Abrader

We had an unusual request for blasting the back of flex circuits to improve the laser solderability of the parts. The backing was too reflective and meant that the laser welds were not always consistent. A custom machine was built to create a uniform area over the back of the area that is soldered. This means that the area would not reflect the laser and improve the efficiency of the weld.

21.10.2010

SA150 Video of our Surface Abrader added to our YouTube channel

09.08.2010

BV9000 Videos Added  of our Rectifier Beveller to our new YouTube video channel online

03.08.2010

Comco Celebrate 45th Year Anniversary

Started in 1965 Comco Inc have been in business selling microblasters for 45 years. Epak Electronics Ltd have been Comco's UK representative since 1970 - and have built up a wealth of information and experience in micro abrasive blasting over the last 40 years.

21.07.2010

RPS ANTHEM lead dipping, twin solder bath solderability system now shipping. With dynamic solder bath or wave nozzles, single or double static or dynamic flux baths and available with optional rotary head for QFP packages. Epak have already shipped and installed the first Anthem in the UK.

   

 

09.07.2010

NEW UV-C Intensity Labels Available. Now a label is available specifically to target UV-C intensity measurement. Available now.

MORE DETAILS

09.03.2010 

Read Our Technical Article on Micro-Abrasive Applications in Micromachining in the latest Commercial Micro Manufacturing Magazine.

21.10.09 Epak Custom Large Fossil Blast Cleaning Cabinet

18.09.09 Epak BV9000 Wafer Beveller Installed

Our latest custom project to build a larger scale Wafer beveller based around the Comco BV8003 has been delivered and installed.

Designed to take from 30mm to 150mm (6") wafers. 

       27.10.08       SPT RTR-D2/D3 series  Special Pickup Tips for thin or fragile components
14.10.08 Safe-T-Stain : We are able to source all the Safe-T-Stains again in 8oz bottles. 
18.04.08 NEW from AI Technology : COOL-SILVERTM CPU Thermal Grease gives 2-3 degree centigrade lower  temperatures over the industry "standards" even for a medium performing CPS for longer life of the processors and electronic devices. 
19.03.08 : New  Website Launched

Adhesives & Epoxies - Bonding Tools - CO2 Cleaning - Thin Film & Thick Film Resistors - Electronic Packages - Dispensing Equipment - Micro Abrasive Systems - Die Bonders - Dicing Tape & Applicators - Dry Storage Cabinets - Thermal Interface Materials - UV Curing Systems & Accessories - Solderability Test Equipment - Steam Agers - Epak Custom Equipment - Custom Machine Guarding

All Information and images are © copyright of Epak Electronics Ltd and our Principle Companies. No unauthorised duplication.