Letter 35007

Polishing of surgical instruments made out of SS410

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Dear sir,
We manufacture surgical instruments. These instruments are made out of SS410 and SS420 grade stainless steel.
Now we polish it manually using buffing wheel and emery powder etc.

But in this process polishing is not even. Can you suggest the good method of polishing.

Pl reply

With regards

Johny T [name deleted for privacy]
manufacturing of surgical instruments - Chalakudy, Trichur Dt., Kerala state,India

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For uniform surface finishes you can't beat a mass finishing machine systems. We do and recommend a lot of dry organic processes for the medical industry.

AF Kenton
Nova Finishing Systems Inc.

Huntingdon Valley, PA

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Dear Gentleman,

To produce the uniform finish on SS, you are advice to use two step process
1. Non-Electrolytic chemical polishing
2. General buffing, what you are doing now.

Navin M
- New Delhi

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Hello

We are one of the manufacturers of coated abrasives.

We recommend using Abrasive Flap Wheels for polishing of surgical instruments.

The reason that we suggest using a flap wheel is that is offers a uniform finish on the product, also the current method in use is very crude for a surgical instrument manufacturing industry.

One crucial draw back in the current method is that the emery powder available in INDIA has a very high level of iron content, now when using such a powder for polishing, the remains of the powder get embedded in the products, resulting in rusting of the product after a few months.

Regards,

Nitesh K
- Mumbai, INDIA

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GentleMen,
I recommend either electropolishing or satin finish using fluorides (electro etch). But I do not know whether surgical equipments can be polished using the above methods. Please verify.
with regards,

Kandaswamy R [name deleted for privacy]
- Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, INDIA

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We can suggest electropolishing stainless steel 410 and 420 in saline solution. Not only you achieve the bright finish and passivated surface for 410 stainless steel (matte finish and passivated surface for 420 stainless steel due to high carbon content), but you will eliminate surface contamination by abrasives, additional cleaning and passivation steps. Also electrolyte is safe for the environment and workers. No acid spills around the shop anymore. This methods is already installed in BAMA shop in Milan, Italy, where surgical instruments are routinely electropolished.

Anna Berkovich
Russamer Lab

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Can you suggest the good quality emery powder and flap wheels?

Is there any type of coating to prevent rusting after polishing and buffing?

With best regards

Johny T [name deleted for privacy]
- Trichur Dt.Kerala State

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