For specialized types of devices, including medical implants and components used in extremely high stress types of environments, applying a low-friction coating helps to maximize the life cycle of the part or component. This is critical in medical implants as it extends the life of the implant while also reducing the number of times over the life of the patient it potentially needs to be replaced.
There are very few materials that cannot be coated with these low-friction surfacing products. They can be applied to titanium, stainless steel, CoCr-based materials, polymers, ceramics and metals. Different types of low-friction coating are better suited for different substrates as well as use in different environments.
The Basics
There are different ways to apply these coatings based on the type of coating, the size of the part or component as well as the substrate. The company selected for the application of the coating will evaluate the material and the specific requirements of the customer and then recommend both a coating and an application process.
All processes will start by ensuring that each component or part is free from any debris, chemicals, grease, oil or other surface contaminants. This is essential to ensure that the low-friction coating uniformly adheres to the surface.
The part or component will then be sprayed, brushed, dipped or roll coated based on the specifics for the job. More advanced and specialized types of applications may be completed by ion beam assisted deposition, ion sputtering or E-beam evaporation.
The thickness required for the coating will also be a factor of the best application method. Typically for the high tolerance types of coatings used on medical and dental implants, equipment and devices the more advanced application processes are used to allow for precision not possible with other methods.
For more information on the process of applying low-friction coating, visit N2Biomedical. We are easy to find on the website.
