There are numerous fields of application for antiseptic coatings in medtech – they can be applied on implants or medical instruments.
EOS Biomaterials Inc. relies on Heraeus R&D equipment to develop coatings for the medical market. The company’s technology can be used for surgical implants and wound treatment. Their patented coatings include antiseptic and antibiotic effects and enable a slow release of antibiotics. The powder formulations can be applied with the aerosol deposition method.
"With our own aerosol deposition machine, we will be able to test and optimize new materials and material combinations in even shorter cycles in the future," says Mr. Lee, chairman of EOS Biomaterials Incorporated.
There are numerous fields of application for antiseptic coatings in medical technology. For example, they can be applied on implants or medical instruments. They are usually made from an active metallic component - for example silver - and a carrier material such as ceramic. The larger the active surface, the higher the antiseptic effect. However, the right material ratio of active component and carrier material not only determines whether the coatings achieve the desired antiseptic effect. The raw material metal is also a cost driver. That's why manufacturers strive to identify the best mixing ratio.
Heraeus R&D equipment to develop coatings for the medical market.
"We already draw on Heraeus' materials expertise as part of a development contract. Our medical coatings experts receive powder development support with testing, analysis, and consulting," so Mr. Lee.
The equipment is built in Germany and shipped to EOS Biomaterials in New Taipei City. It allows coating of areas up to 300x50mm2 and axially symmetric items.
"The robustness of equipment and process makes aerosol deposition the ideal match for EOS Biomaterials´ development goals," says Ilka Luck, head of Heraeus High Performance Coatings. “They are working on very innovative products, and we are very happy to support them in this effort."
Why aerosol deposition? To develop new coatings quickly, the method used needed to be as flexible and easy to handle as possible. However, most coating methods require high temperatures and are carried out under high vacuum. Aerosol Deposition, on the other hand, is carried out at room temperature and requires only rough vacuum. Also, no materials hazardous to health are used, which simplifies handling.
The high-performance coatings must not peel off from their substrate. The particularly good adhesion, in turn, is one of the outstanding properties of coatings produced with aerosol deposition. This is due to the substrate and the coating forming a chemical bond where they meet.
With other coating methods, the materials used must be heated or vaporized. These temperatures can cause changes in the material and thus in the material properties. In contrast, aerosol deposition takes place at room temperature. During deposition on the substrate, neither a chemical reaction nor a phase transformation occurs. Thus, the properties of the starting material are largely retained in the coating.
This isn’t the only challenge that aerosol deposition does not present in the first place. When several materials are combined, it increases the complexity of the coating process. The components - in this case metal and ceramic – often have very different properties. Due to different melting points, for example, they cannot be applied simultaneously using conventional methods, or only with great effort. Aerosol deposition allows coatings with any material and combinations of materials. The only requirement is that they are available as powder.
The Innovation Award at GrindTec for AM110 is for the new grade of carbide rod blanks used to machine superalloys recognized for outstanding performance.
Hyperion Materials & Technologies, a global materials science company developing hard and super-hard materials for a variety of industries and applications, collected an Innovation Award at the GrindTec trade show in Augsburg, Germany, for its AM110 grade of tungsten carbide rod blanks used to make tools for machining superalloys.
Hyperion’s materials experts specially engineered grade AM110 to optimize the hardness, toughness and galling resistance required for machining superalloys in today’s demanding industrial applications. Some of the targeted markets include aerospace, medical and energy, where quality and productivity are critical to manufacturing precision components.
“Winning this award is a testament to the hard work of everyone on the Hyperion team,” says JP Camardo, General Manager of Carbide Rods at Hyperion. “From the teams in the field to the research and development group, it was a true team effort to develop the ideal composition with grade AM110, delivering a product that provides a superior balance between wear, galling and toughness for superalloy machining.”
The GrindTec trade fair and sponsor Fachverband der Präzisionswerkzeugmechaniker e.V. (FDPW) are awarding prizes for products, processes and services that stand out due to their innovative strength and outstanding performance.
Testing at Hyperion demonstrated that end milling tools made with grade AM110 rod blanks performed 35% better on INCONEL workpieces compared to conventional tungsten carbide grades.
Spotlight on energy and resource consumption at GrindingHub.
Even before the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, rising energy costs were putting pressure on the manufacturing sector. Germany has long had the highest prices for industrial electricity in Europe. At the same time, all companies are being called upon to reduce their carbon emissions significantly and ensure that their production is resource efficient. Grinding is no exception here. Industry experts are actively looking at how to reduce energy and resource consumption all along the process chain – including at the recent digital “Schleiftagung” grinding conference of the Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University and at the GrindingHub trade show in Stuttgart in May.
Rising energy and raw material costs, legal regulations and extended customer requirements are all significant factors which are increasing the importance of energy efficiency in grinding. Within the process chain, grinding is considered an energy-intensive manufacturing process, since comparatively small workpiece volumes are machined at relatively high cost. However, LCA improvements are anything but trivial, and can often only be achieved in small steps or on the periphery of the production operation itself.
Thinking beyond the grinding process Prof. Thomas Bergs, Executive Director of the WZL and member of the WGP (German Academic Association for Production Technology) introduced a further aspect in his presentation at the grinding conference. He pointed out that grinding technology can make a significantly greater contribution to climate protection and resource conservation if companies are prepared to think beyond the actual grinding process. Optimizing the CO2-optimized design of the grinding process also includes considering the optimized function of the component in use. More efficient process control leads to reduced use of resources not only in the manufacturing, but also in the service phase of the workpiece by ensuring longer service lives and improved functional properties. This requires recording the use of energy and resources for each component in digitally networked production.
For Thomas Bader, Managing Director of Haas Schleifmaschinen GmbH in Trossingen, Baden- Württemberg, improving energy and resource efficiency therefore starts well before the actual grinding process: it begins in the selection of appropriate materials for the construction of the machines. In its Multigrind machines, for example, Haas has opted for a mineral cast machine bed which not only uses 30% less energy in production but is also particularly durable and easily recyclable. In addition, mineral cast beds offer excellent vibration damping, which increases the service life of tools. If tools – in this case grinding wheels – must be dressed less frequently, this has a positive effect on the energy footprint, says Bader.
Recyclability plays a major role in machine design, emphasizes the Haas manager, as do the requirements of the European RoHS Directive for electrical and electronic equipment. This stipulates that every component must be subjected to a risk assessment for environmentally hazardous substances. "Smart savings" is the watchword when it comes to measures that help reduce energy consumption in machines, says Thomas Bader.
Machines, grinding oils and grinding wheels There are numerous examples of effective measures. Bader cites energy recovery modules which recuperate the energy of the NC axes and grinding spindles during braking, and the use of economical synchronous motors. Haas Schleifmaschinen also makes use of the intelligent Ecomodus standby concept. This is based on software that reduces power consumption in standby mode by a further 70%. The grinding machine manufacturer is also dedicated to minimizing the use of lubricants. For example, the company’s own linear axes rely on the use of economical grease lubrication instead of oil mist. The supply of energy-optimized cooling lubricant (coolant) is provided in a controlled pump operation using 3D coolant shaped nozzles specifically adapted to the workpiece.
The ways in which coolants and grinding oils can influence energy efficiency in the grinding process are explained by Ken Bausch, grinding oil expert at oelheld GmbH. The company is committed to sustainability in the development of its products, production processes and its use of resources - as expressed through its own Hutec (Human Technology) brand for humans, nature, and machines. The Stuttgart-based company decided at an early stage to purchase its own machines, which would allow it to carry out test series itself. Analysis and testing equipment can now be used to determine the optimum type of oil based on a finely tuned ratio of viscosity and additives for every machine type and every grinding process, says Bausch. The results include not only long service lives and low refill quantities for the oils, but also quiet, smooth, and easy running of the machines, which is indispensable for achieving fast machining, low tool wear, superior surface qualities and economical power consumption. "We are meeting very clearly expressed customer demands here," says Bausch.
New materials posing new challenges
According to Bausch, these new and in some cases exotic materials that must be processed will present major challenges in the future – and thus new tasks for the research and development department at oelheld. "We are gliding into new areas together with the machine manufacturers," says the expert. He is also expecting to receive corresponding inquiries at GrindingHub. Furthermore, oelheld is cultivating partnerships with universities and research institutes in response to new technological requirements.
Similarly, the trend toward high-strength materials which are difficult to machine is likely to frustrate efforts to increase energy and resource efficiency, especially given the simultaneous calls for process-reliable manufacturing plants capable of 24/7 production. "The only way to improve energy efficiency in the grinding process is to find a perfect match between the machine, workpiece, grinding wheel, dressing tool, dressing spindle and cooling medium," says Christoph Müller, Head of Application Technology at Dr. Kaiser Diamantwerkzeuge GmbH & Co. KG, system provider for grinding technology, based in Celle, Lower Saxony. As a rule, the customer's primary focus is on the component being manufactured, he says. The process of dressing the grinding wheel responsible for carrying out the actual manufacturing process is regarded as non-productive time. Thus, the experts at Dr. Kaiser have the task of conditioning (profiling and sharpening) the grinding wheel in the shortest possible space of time.
Individual limits for process optimization
During process optimization, all parameters, especially cutting speed and feed rates, must be optimized before the dressing tool can be adjusted accordingly. However, it should be borne in mind, says Müller, that each production machine has its own physical limits within the process. Here, he says, it is often necessary to rely on empirical values. Nevertheless, about 80 percent of the optimization potential can be determined by making prior process calculations.
The grinding wheel itself offers optimization potential in terms of cycle time, as it can be trimmed not only for faster grinding but also for a longer tool life. After the unavoidable dressing process to condition the grinding wheel, it will be able to grind stably for longer and create more workpieces until it needs to be dressed again due to grinding wheel wear, abrasion, clogging or loss of shape. According to Müller, Dr. Kaiser is contributing to sustainability with its in-house ECO change system, which will also be on display at GrindingHub. Here, the carrier unit can be used several times; only the diamond coating (which wears out over time in the dressing process) is replaced. This saves more than 80% of material and energy compared to conventionally manufactured dressing tools.
Durability is key factor in resource conservation
For grinding oil manufacturer oelheld, improving energy efficiency involves creating durable products, ensuring superior quality levels, and using high-grade raw materials, emphasizes Ken Bausch. Durability is also the key to resource-saving production for Thomas Bader, Managing Director of Haas Schleifmaschinen. For him it is vital to ensure that the manufacture and use of the company’s Multigrind machines are as environmentally friendly as possible. This includes advising customers on how to obtain the longest possible use of their machines. A lifetime of 30 years is not unrealistic, he says. "It often makes more ecological sense to give machines that are not in continuous use a general overhaul with new components and thus breathe a second life into them than to advise customers to buy new equipment," Bader notes.
At GrindingHub, Haas Schleifmaschinen will present its first ever Multigrind system in which the machine and control are separate. The machine is controlled via a tablet which can be replaced if the operating system is no longer receiving updates or if a fault develops. In this way, machines can continue to offer a long service life even in these times of fast-moving digitalization and increased networking. It is important to think beyond the grinding process itself.
The 2-year program starting with a 12-week immersive introduction to the industry that merges hands-on training and repair of CNC machines with classroom training.
Hurco North America will open applications for the third class of its apprenticeship program April 1. The Field Service Apprenticeship (FSA) is a 2-year program starting with a 12-week immersive introduction to the industry that merges hands-on training and repair of CNC machines with classroom training.
While candidates with a degree or working toward one are encouraged to apply, candidates who are mechanically inclined with no industry or engineering experience are also encouraged to apply for the FSA.
“We know there are people outside our industry who would excel at a career as a service engineer for machine tools, but might not have been exposed to our industry," says Cory Miller, General Manager for Hurco North America. "We believe the FSA will be important to bridge the skills gap and introduce more people to the machine tool industry, which benefits the industry as a whole.”
Field service engineers will ultimately be ambassadors for Hurco Companies, Inc. working to provide technical support, training, and service of state-of-the-art CNC machines at customers’ facilities across the country. Continuous training on emerging technologies in CNC controls, robot integration, 5-axis machine and multi-spindle lathe installation, repair, and applications will also be provided long after completion of the apprenticeship.
“If you have a strong work ethic, like to learn how things work, like hands-on training, and want a career instead of a job, this apprenticeship is for you,” says Mark Gilmore, Service Manager for Hurco North America.
The FSA program takes place at Hurco’s headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana. To apply, please visit Hurco.com/FSA.
Wohlers Report 2022 shows AM industry growth of 19.5% in 2021. This is up from 7.5% growth in 2020, which was impacted greatly by the pandemic.
Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International, published the Wohlers Report 2022, the 27th consecutive year of publishing the industry-leading annual report. It provides new content and expert analysis on additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing.
Research for Wohlers Report 2022 shows AM industry growth of 19.5% in 2021. This is up from 7.5% growth in 2020, which was impacted greatly by the pandemic.
“As expected, the industry has returned to a period of advancement and investment,” said Terry Wohlers, head of advisory services and market intelligence at Wohlers Associates, powered by ASTM International. “This expansion cuts across aerospace, healthcare, automotive, consumer products, energy, and other sectors.”
Among the new and expanded features of Wohlers Report 2022:
Wohlers notes that Wohlers Report 2022 provides readers with a competitive edge through insight, analysis, trends, and forecasts. It serves as a tool for decision making and knowledge acceleration. The foundation of the 425-page report is 26 years of data and market intelligence, coupled with a vast network of contacts worldwide.
As the technology and industry mature, a growing number of companies are using AM for custom products and series production, according to the new report. A sign is the growth of polymer powder consumption in 2021, which grew by 43.3% to overtake photopolymers as the most used AM material, Wohlers Report 2022 shows.
The report includes details on 147 early-stage and corporate investments, and 75 mergers, acquisitions, and initial public offerings.