Product category:
Deburring, de-flashing and fettling
News Release from: Deburring Centre | Subject: Thermal deburring
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 August 2007
Medical parts are 100% deburred
thermally
Thermal deburring is used more for medical components, as this simple deburring procedure can guarantee the 100% removal of all potentially loose burrs and contaminants.
In spite of advanced machining technologies, when producing medical equipment parts, the big problem is deburring Burrs, or to be precise, detached burrs, can be as small as a few micron
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 1 Mar 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Machine tool users concern with deburring grows
In spite of the widespread use of CNC machine tools, some users are not machining out loose burrs, at best they are being made smaller, but customers expect zero burrs.
Thermal deburring is consistent, reliable
The thermal deburring process is non selective - 100% of potential loose burrs are removed and computerised controlled conditions mean that every process is consistent.
These particles can eventually cause component failure, either by blocking very small cross holes, by damaging sensitive seals or shorting out electronic circuits.
The results can be fatal.
Thermal deburring (or TEM, thermal energy method) is being specified increasingly for medical components.
This simple deburring procedure can guarantee the 100% removal of all potentially loose burrs and contaminants.
A mixture of natural gas and oxygen, under pressure, surrounding the component(s) is ignited.
The resultant heat wave (too small to effect the components) vaporises burrs.
The reason is, the burrs' large surface to mass ratio cannot dissipate the heat quick enough to avoid their temperature surpassing their ignition point.
The 'burn' combines with the excess oxygen to produce an oxide powder which is easily washed off.
* Breathing device manufacture - Enrico Werneke of Draeger Medical in the Netherlands, which thermally deburrs the valve components used in its breathing devices, said that medical breathing devices are in most cases a chain of fine mechanical components,.
These components are combined with filters and miniature valves.
It is very important that all components fulfil at every moment the function which they were designed for.
The Emergency Care Breathing Devices that Draeger Medical, in Best, produces are always used in extreme situations, like heavy shock (in action) and vibration (helicopters and ambulances).
The chance that any retained burrs may come loose and enter the system as particles is practically 100%.
Since the patients often have enough breathing difficulties as it is without the problem of inhaling metal particles, the company uses thermal deburring to prevent this from happening.
A nice example of a simple technique solving a complex problem.
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