Eight-plus material classes machined under one roof — implantable polymers, refractory alloys, and the orthopedic workhorses your devices depend on.
Workhorse alloys for orthopedic implants, surgical instruments, and structural housings.
Titanium is the workhorse of permanent orthopedic implants — hip stems, knee components, spine cages, dental abutments. Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) and Grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI) provide the strength-to-weight ratio and biocompatibility required for load-bearing implants, while commercially pure Grade 2 is used for surgical instruments and non-load-bearing applications. Titanium machines slowly and generates heat — proper coolant flow and tool selection are critical.
316L stainless is the most common stainless for surgical instruments and short-term implants due to corrosion resistance in saline environments. 17-4PH offers higher strength after precipitation hardening for surgical tools requiring edge retention. We machine all three grades regularly with full lot traceability and CMTRs.
Cobalt chrome is the gold standard for joint replacement wear surfaces — femoral heads, knee femoral components, dental crowns. Its hardness, wear resistance, and biocompatibility make it irreplaceable for articulating implant surfaces. CoCr is challenging to machine due to work-hardening behavior; we use specialized tooling and proven feed-rate strategies refined over 25 years of orthopedic work.
Aluminum 6061 and 7075 are used for surgical instrument housings, jigs, fixtures, and non-implant medical-device components where weight and machinability matter more than implant-grade biocompatibility. Both alloys machine cleanly and accept anodizing, type-II or type-III, for color-coding and corrosion resistance.
Inconel nickel-based superalloys serve high-temperature and corrosion-critical applications — autoclave components, medical sterilizer parts, downhole tooling adjacent to medical research. Inconel work-hardens aggressively and demands rigid setups, sharp tooling, and conservative feed strategies. We machine 718, 625, and X-750 to print.
Refractory and exotic metals for radiopaque, magnetic, and high-density applications.
Tantalum's radiopacity makes it visible under fluoroscopy and CT — essential for vascular markers, catheter tips, and radiopaque implant landmarks used during minimally-invasive procedures. Tantalum is dense, ductile, and biocompatible. Machining requires sharp tooling and slow feeds to avoid galling; we have proven processes for tantalum micro-machining.
Tungsten's extreme density (19.3 g/cc) makes it the material of choice for radiation shielding components, balance weights in medical robotics, and counterweights in surgical positioning systems. Pure tungsten is brittle and difficult to machine; we typically work with sintered tungsten alloys and tungsten heavy-metal blends optimized for machinability.
Molybdenum is used in high-temperature medical and laboratory equipment, including vacuum furnace components and X-ray tube parts. Its high melting point and dimensional stability under thermal load make it suitable where stainless and titanium fail. Specialized machining strategies prevent edge chipping.
Used in medical-device electrical contacts, RFID-tagged surgical instrument tracking, and conductive components in diagnostic equipment. Both machine easily but require careful chip control to maintain tight tolerances.
We machine A2, D2, S7, H13, and other tool steels for fixtures, jigs, custom EDM electrodes, and surgical instrument tooling. Pre- and post-hardening machining strategies allow us to hold tight tolerances on hardened parts using EDM and precision grinding when conventional cutting isn't viable.
Implantable, autoclavable, and engineering polymers for life-critical applications.
PEEK (polyether ether ketone) is the implantable polymer of choice for spine cages, cranial reconstruction, and load-bearing implants where radiolucency under imaging is required. Implant-grade PEEK (PEEK-OPTIMA) is biocompatible and X-ray transparent. PEEK machines well but requires proper coolant strategy to prevent thermal stress and dimensional drift.
ULTEM (polyetherimide) is autoclave-stable, FDA-compliant, and used for sterilizable surgical instrument handles, trays, and reusable medical-device housings. It machines cleanly and tolerates repeated steam sterilization without degradation.
Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene is the bearing surface in total knee and total hip replacements — the polymer half of the metal-on-poly articulation. Highly cross-linked UHMWPE variants improve wear life. We machine UHMWPE liners and test specimens to dimensional and surface-finish specs critical to wear performance.
PTFE's extreme low-friction surface and chemical inertness make it suitable for catheter components, fluid-handling parts, and sliding surfaces in medical devices. Machining requires sharp tooling and careful chip evacuation to maintain tolerances on this soft, deformable material.
Delrin (POM, polyoxymethylene) is a structural engineering thermoplastic used in medical-device housings, gears, bushings, and non-implant mechanical components. It machines like a soft metal — clean, predictable, dimensionally stable.
Zircar zirconium-oxide-based ceramics provide thermal and electrical insulation for medical-device applications including laser components, RF-electrosurgery handpieces, and high-temperature sensors. Ceramic machining is performed via EDM and specialized grinding due to extreme hardness.
Complete documentation and revision control ensure 100% lot traceability from raw stock to finished medical part.
Validated processing for USP Class VI medical-grade polymers, including PEEK, UHMWPE, and ULTEM.
We routinely qualify new alloys and polymers for customer-specific programs. Contact us to discuss your application.
Tantalum, tungsten, hardened tool steel, porous titanium — send us your spec and we'll quote it.