Understanding the Chemistry and Options for Anodic Coating on Medical Devices
Before choosing a casting and anodic finish, it is important to understand some of the basic chemistry behind why some anodic coating options work better than others on medical devices. Knowing the reasons behind why challenges occur allows you to choose your aluminum material and finish more wisely.
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Topics: Aluminum Anodizing, Aluminum Casting
An Overview of Performance Testing Procedures for MICRALOX® Coated Medical Devices
Current sulfuric anodizing specifications for aluminum are based on a range of factors relevant for industrial usage, such as coating thickness and weight, salt water spray corrosion, and abrasion resistance. While meaningful for certain applications, they are a poor fit for the life cycle of anodized medical devices where the aluminum articles require regular cleaning and sterilization; these processes expose aluminum articles to strong chemistries.
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Topics: MICRALOX, Aluminum Anodizing, Testing for Anodized Aluminum Medical Devices
Building a Lean Anodizing House
Ask all anodizing and metal finishing shops around the country what their daily mantra is, and they would say: “Quality, on-time delivery, and low manufacturing cost.” Lean manufacturing has the potential to help achieve these goals with high first-pass yield, lower turn times, and low production cost.
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The Factors that Affect Color Match
End use customers tend to have a notion in their minds that any color can be matched when anodizing aluminum. It may be possible but there are many factors that come into play that prevent certain colors from being achieved.
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Topics: Anodized Aluminum, Anodizing Aluminum, Color Anodizing
Defective Material Report Process to Set Expectations
I often hear customers say that when they received their anodized aluminum parts back from their anodize vendor, they are surprised by scratches and dents, which they are THEN told were there on arrival. To maintain clarity throughout the production and deliver process, DCHN created a proactive process for the assessment and notification of such issues.
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Topics: Anodized Aluminum, Anodizing Aluminum, Anodizer
“Challenges & Solutions for Reusable Medical Devices Requiring Reprocessing”
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Topics: Anodized Aluminum, Aluminum Anodizing, FDA Regulations for Aluminum Anodizing
Is a Lighter Color Aluminum Hard Coat Thinner than a Darker One?
I have been asked this question often: “Is it always the case that a lighter color hard coat is less thick than a darker one?” While the answer is not simple, I usually respond by saying, “Maybe, but not necessarily.” To explain, let’s start with some basic information.
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Topics: Aluminum Anodizing, Anodizing Aluminum, hardcoat, Anodic Hardcoat
Keep Your P.O. in the Passing Lane to Keep the Order Moving
Have you ever been at a red light waiting for the light to change … and when it finally does … you can’t move because the car in front does not move fast enough—holding up the entire line? We face a similar predicament in our own way when your purchase order arrives … we’re ready to go … and the P.O. does not have all the information on it we need to begin the project.
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Topics: Anodized Aluminum, Aluminum Anodizing
Up-Front Factors that Achieve a Fantastic Final Cast Aluminum Finish
Getting excellent results with hard coat and anodizing cast aluminum articles? “No way!” is a common, but mistaken response. After more than 40 years in the field, DCHN has successfully worked with many companies to achieve beautiful cast finishes—top-quality finishes that are achieved when anodizing cast aluminum because the final finish is the result of many important up-front decisions that eliminate many sources of poor quality.
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Topics: Anodizing cast aluminum, cast aluminum
Top 5 Ways to Store Aluminum Parts to Prevent Corrosion
We realize that every facility has its own unique physical attributes and each organization operates with its own processes. Either of these variables can wreak havoc on or facilitate the proper care and storage of aluminum parts. Given that there are many possibilities that can impact the proper storage of aluminum parts (prior to and after anodizing aluminum), let’s talk about the top 5 best-care practices you can implement to prevent corrosion.
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Topics: Anodized Aluminum, Aluminum Anodizing, Proper Storage of Aluminum Parts
