coating success depends on more than material selection 2
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Coating Success Depends on More Than Material
Selection
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Mon, 03/16/2015 - 11:10am
by Tim Kissling, Owner & President, Precision Coating Technology & Manufacturing Inc.
Precision Coating Company, Inc.
LISTED UNDER: Coatings
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Many medical device designers have worked with coatings suppliers to identify the right material
for an application, but have later encountered unforeseen issues that result in higher costs,
production delays, and sometimes, even product redesign. Selecting the right material is only half
the equation. This article highlights the importance of considering the application process for thecoating, which is often overlooked.
Selecting the “right” coating for a medical device is critical to success, and yet it’s generally an
afterthought for many OEMs. As expected, many designers are first concerned with the function or
design of the part and second with the production of it.
Typically, the coating must meet multiple criteria, the first of which is functional performance.
What is the intended use of the device and how does the coating relate to the device’s functional
performance? What environment, application, or use must the coating work within and support?
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Finishing is often a multi-step process. This photo shows a part that has been
coated then micro blasted to remove the residual oxide layer left after the
coating operation. Remember to factor in all parts of the application process
when estimating costs.
Other considerations when choosing a
coating include but are not limited to:
Regulatory compliance
Insulation properties (dielectric
barriers)
Ability to be cleaned for multiple
use
Temperature, moisture, and
corrosion-resistance
Non-stick properties
Ability to be inert to bodily fluids
Wear resistance, and the ability
to withstand the impact of
intensive handling
Aesthetics/color
The usual process then involves the
product designer identifying the
properties of the device that relate to the coating, working with a coatings supplier to select the
right material, and communicating that information to the coatings application partner when the
product moves into the near-final stages of production.
The material is specified, but can it be feasibly and cost-effectively applied? This is where many
medical device OEMs find themselves in trouble, often without even knowing it. Following are five
signs a process may need to be “reworked.”
Part-to-part inconsistency (when running parts in the thousands or hundreds of thousands)
Higher than anticipated application cost
Production delays
Multi-step and/or costly assembly processes
Worst case: A product redesign due to an inability to effectively coat the device
For designers encountering any of these issues, following are four factors to consider with regard
to coatings application that will help to avoid problems and streamline time-to-market, while also
managing cost, compliance, and quality.
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It is critical to control the coating thickness, especially where the molding meets
the coating. Consult with a coatings applicator to ensure the proper thickness
for a design and avoid surprises on the back-end.
1. Avoid Painting Yourself into a
Coatings Corner
Often designers only give themselves
a single option in terms of a coating
material or a material supplier. If a
particular coating is specified, the
options are automatically narrowed.
If a problem arises, often theformulation of the coating cannot be
adjusted, leaving the designer stuck
with the exact coating specified.
Instead, consider specifying a
coating, but include “or equivalent” in
the design spec. This allows other
coating suppliers who have design
flexibility to make modifications to
accurately meet the project needs
without being boxed in by a “particular” specified coating material. For example, there might be a coating material that will
meet the functional performance requirements, but also allow for aesthetic considerations, like
color options. A knowledgeable finishing applicator will know which materials suppliers will modify
a formulation — and those who won’t — and ensure that all needs are taken into consideration
when selecting a finish.
2. Be Aware of the Relationship Between Coating Choice, Application Process, and
Foundational Material
Recently, a client approached Precision Coating (www.precisioncoatingtech.com) with a design
issue. In order to cut costs, a medical device with a solid metal design was changed to an opentube design. To provide the necessary dielectric barrier, the coating had to maintain a certain
thickness. The new open-tube design didn’t retain the same amount of heat as the solid design,
affecting the thickness of the coating as it was applied. To prevent a product redesign, Precision
Coating worked with the material supplier to adjust the coating formula and with the product
designer to adjust the area that the coating was meant to cover. An application process was then
designed that resulted in the perfect solution for what could have been a costly problem. The
take-away: There can often be a disconnect between the application process and the foundational
material selected and its ability to retain heat at the required degree to allow the coating to reach
the desired thickness. All elements of the process need to be considered.
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3. Remember that Variables Can Drive Up Cost
OEMs often have a complete picture for their product in mind, but when it comes to hitting the
mark with a variety of coating variables, costly mistakes are often made. For example, a designer
might specify a certain coating thickness (such as 2.0 to 5.0 mils) and ask for it to be blue.
Requiring this thickness would imply that the material needs to be sprayed and not dipped.
However, the spray grade material may not be available as a “stock” item in blue and might
require a special order, which adds to the delivery time and the cost. In addition, the thickness of
the substrate can play into unexpected costs. If, for example, a coating thickness of 15 or 20 mils
is specified in order to achieve adequate edge coverage on sharp corners, the material supplier
might be savvy enough to know that this thickness would suggest a dip process and that the dip
process requires heat to achieve that coating thickness. However, in the case of a recent client
project, the substrate material was 0.032 inches thick aluminum, which did not retain enough heat
to develop the 15 to 20 mils. To resolve this impasse, it required tweaking the material
formulation and modifying the application process. Sometimes the material supplier isn’t aware of
all the costs involved. To properly account for these costs, it’s best to work with a material
supplier and coatings applicator, as a team, to address issues that may arise and to spec the best
coating and application process for a particular product or part.
4. Factor in the Coating Application Process for the Design
In applications that require many steps, the coating material itself is not the controlling factor
regarding cost; it’s the application process and the labor involved. For a labor-intensive process
(such as one that includes masking, drilling, spot-facing, or other secondary operations), the
coating material cost to application process cost can be as much as a 1:10 ratio. A designer can
avoid this by collaborating with a material supplier and finishing partner at the time of
specification to control costs and prevent surprises at the back-end of production.
Look Beyond the Coating Material
Medical device designers may be encountering issues during production that are directly related to
and impacted by the practical application of the specified coating. To ensure that the correct
coating formulation and right application process for a product are selected, simply consider the
finish at the start. That alone may save thousands on a project.
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