Skip to content
  • Products
    • Product Offering
    • Products
      • XEBEC Brush™ Surface
      • XEBEC Brush™ Surface Extra-Large
      • XEBEC Brush™ End Type
      • XEBEC Brush™ Wheel Type
      • XEBEC Brush™ Crosshole
      • XEBEC Back Burr Cutter & Path™
      • XEBEC Stone™ Flexible Shaft
      • XEBEC Stone™ Mounted Point
      • XEBEC Floating Holder™
      • XEBEC Self-Adjusting Sleeve™
      • XEBEC Brush Length Adjustment Tool™
      • XEBEC Ceramic Stone™
      • XEBEC Mobile Micromotor
      • XEBEC Burrless Chamfer Cutter
    • Application Guide
    • Tech Tips
  • Applications
    • Successful Applications
    • Industry Guides & Case Studies
    • Aerospace
    • Medical
  • Cost
    • Cost
    • Check Availability
  • Learning Center
    • Learning Center Blog
    • Virtual Booth
    • Technical
    • The Xebec Difference
    • Video
    • Literature
    • How to Choose a Deburring Method
    • Tech Tips
    • Specs
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Meet Our Team
Menu
  • Products
    • Product Offering
    • Products
      • XEBEC Brush™ Surface
      • XEBEC Brush™ Surface Extra-Large
      • XEBEC Brush™ End Type
      • XEBEC Brush™ Wheel Type
      • XEBEC Brush™ Crosshole
      • XEBEC Back Burr Cutter & Path™
      • XEBEC Stone™ Flexible Shaft
      • XEBEC Stone™ Mounted Point
      • XEBEC Floating Holder™
      • XEBEC Self-Adjusting Sleeve™
      • XEBEC Brush Length Adjustment Tool™
      • XEBEC Ceramic Stone™
      • XEBEC Mobile Micromotor
      • XEBEC Burrless Chamfer Cutter
    • Application Guide
    • Tech Tips
  • Applications
    • Successful Applications
    • Industry Guides & Case Studies
    • Aerospace
    • Medical
  • Cost
    • Cost
    • Check Availability
  • Learning Center
    • Learning Center Blog
    • Virtual Booth
    • Technical
    • The Xebec Difference
    • Video
    • Literature
    • How to Choose a Deburring Method
    • Tech Tips
    • Specs
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Meet Our Team

How Xebec Helps Medical Manufacturers Innovate at Pace with the Industry

  • Home
  • General
  • How Xebec Helps Medical Manufacturers Innovate at Pace with the Industry
Medical-designers-inspecting-hip-joint-model
  • gjedlinsky@iptamerica.com [email protected]
  • March 15, 2023
  • No Comments

How Xebec Helps Medical Manufacturers Innovate at Pace with the Industry

Manufacturing medical parts, tools, equipment and devices comes with a unique set of challenges that require reliable and dependable partners to meet. 

  • Medical manufacturing is one of the most innovative product areas, which often means meeting new demands for complexity and function.  
  • When manufacturers are involved in the research, development and prototyping phases, there are iterations of the product involving unique setups and processes for one-off runs.  
  • All aspects of the process are heavily regulated and standardized, with high expectations for quality management.
  • When producing the final product, manufacturers must achieve highly precise specs to ensure proper functionality and quality for end use. 

That’s on top of common challenges all manufacturers and machine shops are facing today, many of which have affected the medical industry in unique ways.  

For example, most manufacturers experienced supply shortages. For medical device manufacturing, semiconductor chip shortages were a major barrier to production and innovation. Another example is the labor shortage, which was felt – and is being felt – in most manufacturing sectors. Selecting partners that can help address these issues is key to a medical manufacturer’s success. 

Manufacturers across industries face common challenges, as we discuss in our eBook. >> 

Table of Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents
    Worker-in-sterile-cloths-using-a-tablet-to-check-correction-of-inventory-within-boxes-in-factory-storage-room

    Medical manufacturing is an innovative and exciting sector, resulting in products that save and improve the quality and length of people’s lives. 

    Deburring and finishing are important steps in the production process. If you’re using insufficient tools or performing these tasks manually, you’re likely dealing with quality-related (and expensive) scrap and significant spend on manual labor. At the end of the day, this can cut into your profit margin and keep you from realizing timely and reliable production at the very least. 

    Xebec deburring and finishing solutions are as innovative as your medical parts and can help reduce issues that occur during these processes by automating them, performing them both at the same time and producing high-quality, repeatable parts. Production will be faster, more efficient and more reliable. By eliminating manual deburring and finishing, you can reassign and upskill employees from that department to fill skill gaps in your workforce. And you’ll be able to participate heartily in an industry that’s on the forefront of manufacturing innovation and advancing human health. 

    Learn more about the many applications for Xebec products in medical manufacturing. >>

    x-ray of knees with replacement hardware

    Performance that Meets and Exceeds Expectation

    Medical devices, equipment and tools must meet exacting specifications. Otherwise, there could be a catastrophic risk to human life and well-being. Fortunately, the manufacture of such components is tightly regulated and standardized, so a part that isn’t to spec is unlikely to get past quality inspection. Having reliable tools to deburr and finish a part, dependably and reliably, in the final stretch decreases the opportunity for error and waste. And it helps medical manufacturers overcome challenges such as: 

    • Meeting increased demand  
    • Producing consistent quality parts 
    • Meeting tight dimensional tolerances 
    • Achieving smooth finishes
    • Preventing downstream catastrophes or product failures 

    Learn more: Medical device industry use case for Xebec Deburring Technologies. >> 

    Critically, Xebec’s modern deburring and finishing tools help manufacturers achieve the desired finish on a part faster and with consistent results. This is essential to performance of the end product. For example, implants are designed to function in specific and dynamic ways, and an abrasive surface could mean poor performance and reduced longevity. And it could greatly affect patient health. 

    While most parts will require manual polishing to get the exact Ra, such as a mirror finish polished to 1-12 Ra microinches (µin), Xebec ceramic fiber brushes will get you closer to that finish – faster and more reliably – before polishing manually. Xebec brushes can typically achieve 4-40 Ra microinches depending on material and process. 

    Learn more: Modern surface finishing and polishing operations in manufacturing. >> 

    Take, for example, the parts involved in a knee replacement. The replacement itself involves a concave cup and convex ball end, parts which fit into each other and must perform dynamic movements in place of a knee. It also often involves a plastic sizing kit. These parts are complex and require precision across production. The finish must be exact to ensure patient safety and quality of life. Otherwise, there is a risk of infection, patient discomfort, reduced part lift, contamination, implant rejection and more. 

    Learn more: Deburring and finishing critical parts in the medical industry. >> 

    View a sampling of medical parts that can be deburred with Xebec solutions:  

    Automation to Innovate with the Industry

    The medical industry is on the cutting edge of innovation. When introducing new technologies and processes that help you be innovative and adaptive, you set yourself up to capitalize on opportunities, be invaluable to your customers, and attract and retain skilled employees. 

    medical-factory-and-production-indoor-thumb

    Embracing new and different materials: Research and development is leading to the use of new materials in the medical industry, as well as expanded use of such materials as PEEK plastic. Xebec has a broad selection of ceramic fiber brushes and ceramic stone tools to accommodate materials that need to be worked differently to be efficient and meet specifications.

    XEBEC Brushes

    Consolidating processes for modern efficiency: Deburring and finishing are often treated as different steps in the production process, which requires redundant part handling and takes time. Xebec ceramic fiber brushes deburr and finish at the same time, which decreases scrap due to excessive handling and reduces production time and manual labor costs. 

    Upskilling-to-Overcome-the-Labor-Shortage-in-Manufacturing

    Modernizing roles in your workforce: It’s not just the labor shortage putting pressure on manufacturers, it’s also about retention. Giving your employees opportunities to upskill and grow in your company is often even more critical than simple recruitment. With automated deburring and finishing, you can move people off manual deburring to perform higher-value tasks and gain new skills, increasing production.  

    XEBEC_YASKAWA_side

    Implementing robotics where optimal: Robotics are becoming more popular and efficient for medical manufacturing. Xebec tools are compatible with robotics, but how do you determine whether a robot or CNC is best for your deburring and finishing jobs? Your deburring tools should be able to handle changes in your production processes. 

    Surface-Finishing-Developments-in-Additive-Manufacturing-A-Conversation-from-the-Field-IG

    Incorporating additive manufacturing: Additive manufacturing is already being put to great use for medical manufacturing, prototyping and innovation. When parts are created with this process, they often benefit from automated deburring and finishing.  

    ROI Beyond the Monetary to Time Savings and Employee Safety

    Automated deburring and finishing are more cost-effective and less time-intensive than manual deburring and finishing when you implement Xebec solutions. You’ll save on the cost of disposable tools, manual labor and waste from quality issues and errors. Considering the expensive nature of materials and parts in medical industry manufacturing, you can imagine how the savings add up. 

    While Xebec ceramic fiber brushes cost more on an individual level, they last longer and are more efficient than manual and automated alternatives. 

    Group-of-surgical-stainless-bone-plates-and-screws-on-white-background-in-close-up-view

    Learn more: How to calculate the ROI on automated deburring with Xebec. >> 

    Further, Xebec tools keep the part on the machine for much of production, reducing or eliminating the need for some time-consuming tool changes and post-machining steps. In most cases, even quality inspection will go faster. So, while keeping the part on the machine for a little longer does add machine cycle time, you have an opportunity to cut total production time by up to 80 percent. 

    XEBEC-CNC-vs-Manual-Time

    Learn more: A slight increase in machine cycle time equates to major savings in net production time. >> 

    Perhaps most importantly of all, you’ll be doing more to protect your employees and improve their quality of life at work. Manual labor related to deburring and finishing can lead to a variety of injuries, including: 

    • Cuts and lacerations 
    • Carpal tunnel 
    • Splinters 
    • Eye injuries 

    Automating these processes in the CNC machine or with a robot not only removes the physical strain, but also the risk of sudden injury from particles in the air or a hand slipping while working a part. Protecting your employees leads to better job satisfaction and increased employee retention, along with a reputation for being a company that cares about its employees. And in today’s market, your reputation goes a long way in attracting high-quality recruits. 

    Learn more: How automated deburring and finishing improves employee safety. >> 

    Are you a medical industry manufacturer? Download our comprehensive eBook, Advanced Manufacturing Solutions for Medical Parts.  

    Download now
    • Category: General

    Share:

    • https://deburringtechnologies.com/how-xebec-helps-medical-manufacturers-innovate-at-pace-with-the-industry/
    gjedlinsky@iptamerica.com

    [email protected]

    Get updates in your inbox

    Related Content

    1. Specs
    2. Xebec Manufacturer’s Rep Spotlight: Coast Industrial Sales
    3. Engineers in uniforms inspecting the engine casing of a passenger jet at a hangar How Xebec Helps Aerospace Industry Manufacturers Reach New Heights

    Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Get updates in your inbox

    Cutting fiber brushes and stones are cutting tools and are often rotated at high speeds with a power tool or in a machine tool. They should never be operated at higher than the maximum speeds listed. When using these tools, safety glasses and gloves should be worn. Breathing the dust created by using these products for prolonged periods of time should be avoided.

    Operations Center:

    106 West Ohio Avenue
    Mount Vernon, OH 43050

    Technical Support: 1 (800) 434-9775

    Toll Free: 1 (800) 306-5901

    [email protected]

    www.deburringtechnologies.com

    Connect with us on
    LinkedIn

    Subscribe to our
    YouTube Channel

    Copyright 2023 | XEBEC© Deburring Technologies | All Rights Reserved.
    • Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Policy

    Discuss an Application

    Please provide us with details regarding your application and a team member will contact you within one business day. Or, our team is available Monday-Friday, 8am – 5pm EST via telephone (800) 306-5901 to discuss your application.

     
    Name
    Address
    Industry
    What is your primary industry?

    What is the part material/hardness? (Space provided for multiple entries, if applicable)
    What is the current process or tools being used?
    (Space provided for multiple entries, if applicable)
    What is the step or tool used prior to deburring? (Space provided for multiple entries, is applicable)
    What is the finish requirement? (Space provided for multiple entries, is applicable)
    What is the machine type? (Space provided for multiple entries, is applicable)
    Please provide the machine's max RPM. (Space provided for multiple entries, is applicable)
    Coolant Capability
    What is the burr size/thickness? (Space provided for multiple entries, is applicable)
    Please help us to understand the reason(s) for seeking an alternative deburring method.
    Would you like a copy of your responses?

    Contact Us

    Thank you for visiting the virtual booth of Xebec Deburring Technologies. Please provide contact information below.

    Name(Required)
    Preferred Method of Communication
    Please feel free to include any notes about your company, current application, specific product interest, etc.
    Would you like a copy of your responses?