Proper medical coil operation requires eliminating even minute sources of corrosion from various sharp and intricate parts while maintaining tight tolerances. That’s the challenge one of our customers in the medical industry faced when they approached us for assistance. To achieve their aims, Accurate Burring used numerous sophisticated rust-removal and finishing processes, including vapor degreasing, passivation, and forced air drying, while heeding strict medical regulations.
Knowing the customer previously sent their coils to our competitors with limited success, we chose this project due to its multi-step processes and challenging nature.
Problem
Medical coils for imaging, therapeutic, or other medical applications are subject to industry standards ASTM A967 and USSC Testing Standard 21-602, which require coils to be corrosion- and rust-resistant. Due to their medical use, coils need to be spotless and have very tight tolerances. These needs draw on our specialty for removing and preventing rust and corrosion on a variety of materials.
This was no small order, given each medical coil consisted of 3,000 to 16,000 pieces, with each coil requiring multiple distinct processes. We also needed to process production volumes of up to 12 medical coils per day.
Solution
To meet ASTM A967 and USSC 21-602 standards, we used the following materials and equipment to successfully vapor degrease, passivate, and forced air-dry the medical coils:
- N-propyl bromide (nPB) solvent and equipment for vapor degreasing
- Citric acid (CitriSurf®) for passivation, to safely remove free iron compounds
- Deionized water baths, for rinsing parts without causing unintended chemical reactions
- Customer-allocated equipment, to ensure compatibility with the client’s end-use purposes
- A forced air drying room used specifically for drying coils
The drying process presented particular challenges, requiring constant fine-tuning for efficiency to minimize any possible corrosion. Ultimately, we achieved a pristine 301SS/302SS material finish.
Results and Testing
Accurate Burring met all production requirements by performing visual inspections and in-process testing. This included verifying that the coils met all rust and corrosion resistance standards per USSC 21-602 and ASTM A967. The end result was a complete line of fully cleaned, dried, and corrosion-free medical coils, according to the customers’ exact production requirements. Upon completion, we provided same-day to two-day delivery.
The consistency of our results has led the customer to rely on our capabilities, sending us additional work to process.
Difficulties Overcome
A medical coil’s configuration is inherently difficult to clean and dry, although both are necessary to prevent stains and corrosion. Further, each coil’s individual parts are extremely sharp and can easily unravel if not properly secured. These challenges required careful and deliberate planning of our cleaning, finishing, and drying processes to achieve the intended result.
Why the Customer Chose Accurate Burring
Our reputation for effective collaborations and fast turnarounds made Accurate Burring an easy choice for the customer, who heard of our work through local industry connections.
Along with our local advantage, we were able to demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement in the exact processes the client required. We received their parts covered in oil and residue, but each medical coil left our facility completely clean, dried, and bagged.
Take the Next Step: Ensure Your Medical Coils Meet Industry Standards with Accurate Burring
By carefully matching the client’s parts with the proper rust-prevention and oil-removal processes, we met all industry standards governing medical coils. Without compromising quality or tolerances, we achieved production rates of up to 12 medical coils per day, each coil consisting of thousands of components, and delivered the cleaned coils within a two-day turnaround.
To learn more about our specialized coil treatment solutions, contact Accurate Burring today.