Medical alloys are typically characterised by their high strength-to-weight ratio and exhibit impressive corrosion resistance. A common medical alloy is stainless steel which consists of chromium, nickel and molybdenum. It is the chromium in stainless steel that gives the metal its corrosion and scratch resistance, the nickel offers an even and polished finish.
Precision Micro has invested heavily in the photo-etching of titanium due to the fact that it is such a fundamental material in medical applications. Titanium’s corrosion resistance and biocompatibility are of key importance, but it also has an innate ability to “knit” with human bone. This investment means that Precision Micro can now process all relevant medical alloys, including titanium and Nitinol, in sheets sized up to 600mm wide by 1500mm long and in thicknesses from 10 microns to 1.5 mm. The etch machine and allied control systems were custom built to Precision Micro’s specifications and the titanium line is housed in a purpose built, self-contained unit at the company’s premises in Birmingham, U.K.
Photo-etched parts are burr and stress free and require virtually no post processing. Being essentially an ambient process, etched parts suffer no heat-induced distortion or embrittlement during the process and materials maintain all their original mechanical properties.
