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AFM Applications in Medical Manufacturing

In the 40 years since its inception, Extrude Hone’s Abrasive Flow Machining (AFM) technology, including Orbital AFM, continues to produce the highest quality engineered surfaces and edges — in a repeatable, automated and cost-effective process. Within the medical manufacturing sector, this is a capability that is highly regarded. It’s no surprise then that Extrude Hone and many of the leading medical manufacturers share a long-standing and successful partnership.

Our traditional AFM process is distinctive in that it effectively provides precision deburring, polishing and edge radiusing of internal and external surfaces. Anywhere our unique abrasive laden polymer — or, media — can flow, precision finishing occurs. In fact, our traditional AFM successful finishes internal curved and complex surface locations previously unreachable by any other means, including manual methods. As a result, it is conducive for such medical components as delicate artificial heart valves, cannula tubes or other intricate surgical devices, implants and instruments. Best of all, AFM meets the ultra-high purity and stringent cleanliness standards of medical manufacturers with single-digit-ppb results.

For medical devices that feature less than direct passages and instead employ complex three-dimensional geometric shapes, cavities or characteristics, our unique Orbital AFM process is an ideal finishing solution for this type of application. During processing, Orbital AFM maintains dimensional tolerances so critical to finishing and polishing such surgical and prosthetic implants as hip and knee replacement joints. Orbital AFM produces surface finishes that are 20 to 30 times superior to the original surface with average surface roughness reduced to a 0.05 µm (2 µinch) Ra finish or better.

With their low operating costs and superior finishes, the Extrude Hone AFM and Orbital AFM processes will continue to meet the unique needs of medical manufacturers by advancing the overall quality and performance of vital medical components:

Learn more about the Extrude Hone AFM and Orbital AFM processes.