Finishing - September-October 2023
As we reach the end of summer which has not been the greatest in terms of weather it will be interesting to see which way the wind is blowing in regard to the environment as the next general election approaches. I live close to London and the ULEZ extension has been on top of the agenda for many people. The statistics on London’s air quality are extremely worrying with the WHO saying that air pollution far exceeds limits. Do we ignore the evidence and continue to put lives at risk? I would imagine we would not like a polluting business near our home or place of work and it is impressive that finishing companies are stepping up and taking on board their environmental responsibilities. We are all aware that there is a cost involved, but it seems a small price to pay for a healthy future. John Hatcher, Editor
As we reach the end of summer which has not been the greatest in terms of weather it will be interesting to see which way the wind is blowing in regard to the environment as the next general election approaches.
I live close to London and the ULEZ extension has been on top of the agenda for many people. The statistics on London’s air quality are extremely worrying with the WHO saying that air pollution far exceeds limits. Do we ignore the evidence and continue to put lives at risk? I would imagine we would not like a polluting business near our home or place of work and it is impressive that finishing companies are stepping up and taking on board their environmental responsibilities.
We are all aware that there is a cost involved, but it seems a small price to pay for a healthy future.
John Hatcher, Editor
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16 CASE STUDY<br />
Optimum efficiency<br />
To function properly and last for a long<br />
time in the human body, orthopedic<br />
implants require precisely defined<br />
finishes on different surface areas. For the<br />
targeted surface finishing of femur<br />
components in its new high-tech plant in<br />
Malaysia Smith+Nephew is utilizing two<br />
manufacturing cells, each containing three R<br />
6/1000 SF drag finishers from Rösler. Two fully<br />
automatic Z1000 centrifuges, equipped with<br />
the digital process water management system<br />
“Advanced” from Rösler Smart Solutions,<br />
ensure that the process water is reliably and<br />
efficiently cleaned and recycled. Another<br />
indispensable contribution towards the stability<br />
of the finishing operation is the continuous<br />
monitoring and classification of the grinding<br />
and pre-polishing media.<br />
The mission of Smith+Nephew, a globally<br />
leading medical technology company, is to<br />
replace defective body parts and, thus,<br />
improve the quality of life for the patients and<br />
extend their life expectancy. The company<br />
employs around 18,000 people in more than<br />
100 countries. With the development and<br />
application of innovative technologies they<br />
work diligently to improve the products of the<br />
company’s three global business divisions<br />
“orthopedic reconstruction,” “modern wound<br />
care management” and “sports medicine.”<br />
This commitment to excellent medical<br />
solutions is reflected in Smith+Nephew’s new<br />
high- tech plant in Penang, Malaysia. The new<br />
plant, as part of the “orthopedic<br />
reconstruction” division, produces primarily<br />
endoprosthetic knee and hip implants.<br />
Optimal surface finishes – a key<br />
quality criterion<br />
Jürgen Preiser, senior manufacturing<br />
engineer at Smith+Nephew explains: „For<br />
each of our implants we have specifications<br />
that precisely define the required quality of<br />
their surface finish. In the new Penang plant<br />
he is coordinating the establishment of the<br />
surface finishing manufacturing cells for the<br />
knee implants made from cobalt chrome<br />
alloys. For example, the inner surface areas of<br />
femur components must have a precisely<br />
defined surface roughness to promote optimal<br />
integration into the bone. On the other hand,<br />
the outer surface areas must have a very<br />
smooth, polished surface finish to prevent<br />
friction causing premature wear. Therefore,<br />
some targeted outer surface areas of the<br />
femur components must undergo an<br />
extremely demanding finishing operation with<br />
absolutely consistent results.<br />
<strong>Finishing</strong> - <strong>September</strong>/<strong>October</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
continues on page 18
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