Coating Success Depends on More Than Material Selection 2

8/18/2019 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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