Medical Device Coatings & CO2 Cleaning

Manufacturers of medical instruments and devices are continuously challenged with finding new ways to improve product functionality, durability and safety. Lives are often at stake, and surgeons and other healthcare practitioners have no room for error. Medical equipment, right down to the surgical knives making an incision, must perform perfectly each and every time. Fisher Barton’s TST Engineered Thermal Coatings Solutions division is the source for thermal spray coatings that add value and functionality to all types of medical devices and instruments, whether to insulate from heat or electrical current, protect from wear and corrosion, or add other critical properties. View Brochure
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Process of surgery operation using laparoscopic equipment. Group of surgeons in operating room with surgery equipment.

Dielectric Coatings

TST has developed a family of oxide ceramics coatings that provide electrical insulation for medical instruments. The coatings are engineered to provide specific dielectric properties to a variety of surfaces and components. In many cases these coatings can be deposited onto select surfaces with a high degree of accuracy. Some of the properties of these coatings include:

  • Dielectric strengths as great as 1000 volts/ 0.001 in
  • Hardness greater than 900 Vickers
  • High density with porosity levels less than 0.5%
  • White, gray, or black color
  • Excellent adhesion with bond strengths of ≥ 8,000 psi
  • Coating thickness from 0.001-0.020 inch
Thermal Barrier/Heat Management

Thermal Barrier/Heat Management

Thermal barrier coatings engineered for use in aerospace engines can be used to provide thermal insulation to surfaces of medical devices. These coatings are comprised of oxide ceramics. The thermal conductivity of these coatings can be controlled by the composition of the coating chemistry and the structure of the coating. Thermal conductivity can be engineered to be as low as 0.5 W/(m K) through controlling coating chemistry and coating deposition parameters. These coatings can also be selectively deposited onto specific surface requiring thermal protection or insulation.

Wear Resistance

Wear Resistance

Coatings comprised of oxide ceramics, carbides, or hard metals can be deposited on medical device surfaces to provide extreme wear resistant properties. These coatings with hardness’s as high as 1500 Vickers can greatly improve the life of critical surfaces by preventing wear.

Antimicrobial

Anti-Microbial

Several coating alloys typically containing high contents of copper can be produced to provide anti-microbial surfaces. These coatings have proven to effectively kill many types of contagious viruses. These coatings can be applied to large and small surfaces to help prevent the spreading of viruses and bacterial infections.

 

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CO2 Cleaning for Medical Part Manufacturing

 

CO2 cleaning is a cold, dry process without the use of water or detergents. CO2 cleaning uses ISO Class 2.2.2 CDA and beverage grade CO2 (ISBT 2001 Quality Guidelines). The low “hardness” of CO2 particles yields a non-abrasive cleaning process that can be used on a wide variety of substrates. Recognized by the USEOA as a safe and preferred industrial process technology, Cool Clean has been FDA-approved for cleaning tooling and implantables.

Learn More About CO2 Medical Part Cleaning