Medical-grade wire forms are custom made components that provide specific functions for different medical devices. They come in an almost-infinite variety of shapes and sizes to suit the application at hand.
An inevitable consequence of this variety is the need for wire forms that have multiple tight bends that can impact their structural integrity. Moreover, balancing this integrity with manufacturing repeatability can become a particular challenge in complex medical device design.
In this article, we explore the key challenges of complex medical-grade wire forms and unpack the methods to ensure their quality at each stage of manufacture.
What quality considerations go into complex wire forming?
Medical-grade wire forms are often required to perform multiple functions within the constraints of a medical device; ranging from simple structural support to multi-functional purposes such as actuating akin to a spring. These wire forms can have dozens of bends to form intricate shapes, leading to challenges in structural strength and manufacturing repeatability.
Internal bend radii
The bends in complex wire forms can cause complications when it comes to implementing them within a design. If the internal bend radius is too tight, it can affect the stress limit of the material. This can make the wire form susceptible to fatigue and plastic deformation when under load or in operation.
2D design; 3D product
Challenges can quickly arise when using two dimensional measuring methods for complex wire form shapes. These shapes can often have bends on multiple axes, making two-dimensional measuring inadequate to calculate the maximum internal radius for each one. This leads to difficulty in achieving manufacturing repeatability without inevitably high scrap rates.
What are the keys to better quality outcomes for complex wire forms in medical?
Design for 3D; measure and verify in 3D
The use of three-dimensional measuring equipment provides accurate optical inspection of the geometry and shape of complex wire forms. With a high measurement accuracy, this measuring equipment can determine whether the internal radius of a bend is too tight across any axes. As a result, you can be confident in the structural integrity of your wire forms and maximise manufacturing repeatability.
Use specialised wire forming machinery with dedicated tooling
The manufacturing repeatability of complex wire forms can be achieved with a mixture of bespoke and off-the-shelf tooling. Moreover, this tooling also ensures their quality with specialised processes to avoid structural damage. Examples include CNC bending and multi-slide forming machines to achieve complex shapes at a good production speed. Each process can be automated and monitored to achieve a balance of speed and quality whilst providing the ability to separate bad batches in real-time.
Specify the right material for the application at hand
Material selection can enhance the quality of wire forms for specific devices and applications. A common example is 302 stainless steel that is used for its structural strength, providing a high stress limit for tight bends. But for wire forms that serve a static function like structural support, the use of a softer stainless (3 quarter hard) can dampen springiness to avoid potential complications with the device. Understanding the right wire form material for your design is paramount to ensuring quality.
For medical wire forms, trust the experts
The complexity of medical-grade wire forms can pose a significant challenge for medical device designers. Tight bends can breach the stress limits of the material, and ensuring manufacturing repeatability without high scrap rates can be difficult. This reinforces the need for an experienced partner in complex wire form manufacture.
At Advanex Medical, we understand the critical importance of quality when it comes to medical-grade wire forms. Our commitment to quality is reflected in our adoption of the latest manufacturing technologies to guarantee each and every wire form is held to a high standard. We use a blend of sophisticated, monitored and automated manufacturing processes that maximise repeatability without compromising on quality.
Our expertise in creating bespoke wire form solutions for a variety of medical devices positions us as leaders in the field. To find out how we can provide this same service for you and your medical device, get in touch with one of our experts.
