Laser Slag Removal For Medical Parts

Laser slag associated with drilled and cut holes is an unwanted effect of the laser cutting process. The heat from a laser raises material and creates a dark heat affected zone commonly referred to as slag and dros in the fabrication world. Laser slag removal is an essential step in the production of metal parts, particularly those used in the medical industry.

Many part manufacturers and commercial metal finishing facilities clean surface oxidation by immersing parts in a chemical-bath commonly referred to as acid pickling. While acid pickling can be effective, there are practical limitations to this cleaning process

Pickling while effective at removing discoloration has never been intended to remove burrs left from cutting. Many descaling agents are extremely aggressive and difficult to control. If not properly controlled, pickling can attack the base metal of metal parts creating potential dimensional and aesthetic abnormalities.

At New England Electropolishing, we use a two-step process that starts with a mild acid pickle cleaning process followed by electropolishing. This provides the benefits of both processes. With the acid pickle, we decontaminate the part and remove the discoloration. Electropolishing then removes burrs, resulting in a uniform, attractive finish that is easier to sterilize, something that has become critical in this coronavirus pandemic.

Electropolishing also has the added advantage of passivation, which restores the corrosion-resistant layer on the surface of stainless-steel manufactured parts for medical devices. And it enables us to produce finishes precisely calibrated to the needs of our customers.

Medical device manufacturers often want a matte finish on tools used in surgery to limit the possibility of reflective glare. For that, we have developed ElectroMatte™ Electropolishing, our proprietary metal and stainless-steel finishing process. It meets ASTM Standards for electropolishing and passivation while producing a non-reflective matte finish. NEE also is ISO 9001 and ISO 13485 certified, just two of its many certifications.

At NEE, we are dedicated to satisfying our customers by meeting even the most exacting deadlines for high volumes of parts for medical device electropolishing. Please contact us if you have any questions.