Mark Crawford, Contributing Editor09.12.23
Machining in the orthopedic industry is a highly advanced process, with high-precision CNC machines, lasers, new materials, surface-finishing technologies, inspection systems, and sophisticated software. These technologies are essential for creating the orthopedic implants, devices, and instruments we depend on.
Business is on the rise among orthopedic device manufacturers, especially for joint replacements and increased funding for R&D, with many new devices in development. Additional inventory is also needed to support an increase in post-pandemic elective surgeries and the migration of these procedures to ambulatory surgical centers (ASC).
Among these procedures, “single-use orthopedic devices and new hip- and knee-replacement products are some of the hottest segments in the industry,” said Raghu Vadlamudi, chief research and technology director for Donatelle, a New Brighton, Minn.-based provider of integrated contract manufacturing services to medical device companies.
The insatiable drive for more precision—smaller features, tighter tolerances, and more complex geometries—as well as advanced materials such as bioabsorbable materials, titanium alloys, and cobalt-chromium alloys, requires advanced machines with improved process controls. Multi-axis machining and robotic machining especially help improve accuracy, repeatability, and efficiency, while reducing human error and boosting overall quality and production capabilities.
Computer numerical control (CNC) machines have dramatically improved in rigidity, footprint, ease of robotic integration, processing speed and capacity, and accuracy and precision. “These improvements allow us to rethink entrenched processes,” said Steve Rozow, general manager and co-founder of Mach Medical, a Columbia City, Ind.-based contract manufacturer of orthopedic and spine medical device components. “For instance, we can now machine materials that once required grinding, as well as surface parts more efficiently, thereby reducing the need for post-processing.”
MDMs place significant emphasis on high precision, repeatability, and quality assurance when engaging in machining services. They also have a strong demand for swift and cost-effective machining solutions that strictly adhere to all regulatory and quality standards. “Ideally, MDMs seek machining providers that can meet all these requirements, while also efficiently managing tight timelines and budget constraints,” said Vadlamudi. “Furthermore, MDMs often express interest in vertical integration, integrating complementary manufacturing processes with machining, to benefit from a comprehensive one-stop service approach.”
Increasingly, MDMs utilize functional surfaces on their implantable devices. For example, lasers can digitally etch a surface structure on an implant to promote bone growth. “Functional surfaces made with lasers can also be hydrophobic and anti-bacterial—in fact, multiple different surfaces can be placed on a device, all in a single set-up,” said Erik Poulsen, medical market segment manager for GF Machining Solutions, a Biel, Switzerland-based provider of milling, electrical discharge machining, laser, tooling, and automation equipment. “This trend started some years ago and continues to accelerate.”
Automation is often the key to saving time and money. MDMs are attracted to CMs that have automated their processes to maximize quality and speed while improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.
“Automation is truly a foundational building block for manufacturing,” said Philip Allen, vice president of sales and marketing for Lowell, a Minneapolis, Minn.-based contract manufacturer of complex implants and instruments for the orthopedic and cardiovascular markets.
Lowell is committed to increasing capacity, throughput, quality, and career satisfaction through automation. About a decade ago, the company automated its Leitz coordinate measuring machine (CMM) with a robotic arm. That provided the platform for future automations; since then, Lowell has automated many of its machine tools, including its laser marker.
“Automation takes many forms at Lowell, not just machine tools and our CMMs,” added Allen. “We use the QT9 software system to centralize our documentation and add efficiency to our quality management system. We are also investing in an automated inspection system from Vision Engineering that can both verify screw lengths and check laser marking through optical character recognition.”
“Our customers are always looking for turn-key solutions, such as automated cells that can work 24/7 with only a minimum of operator attention,” added Poulsen. “This trend started some years ago and continues to accelerate.”
Yet another way for MDMs and their CMs to reduce costs is through improved inventory management. Inventory reduction is a key goal for many MDMs, considering they conservatively spend 8% of their revenue just maintaining the inventory they carry, noted Rozow. To improve on this, Mach Medical developed its High Velocity Manufacturing platform, which efficiently produces flexible lot sizes down to a single piece with three-week lead times. “Essentially, we make only what the MDM needs, when it needs it,” said Rozow. “With this approach, we can help reduce a customer’s inventory burden by 30% to 85% for any given family of products.”
With miniaturized medical devices often requiring features or components that have diameters of 0.4 mm or less, with tolerances in the 10- to 20-micron range, the highest-possible machine accuracy is needed. For example, the combination of new cutting tool technology (barrel cutters, form cutters) and machines equipped with linear drives, torque motors, and state-of-the-art software is advancing the limits of milling. “When the right cutting tool, computer-aided manufacturing [CAM] programming, and machine all work together, milling can result in surface finishes that approach those from grinding and allow shapes like the condyle surface of a femoral knee implant to go from milling directly to polishing,” said Poulsen.
Modulation-assisted machining (also known as oscillation cutting) is becoming a mainstream cutting tool. This technology breakthrough oscillates a servo axis to help break up chips in tough-to-cut materials. This action reduces heat in the cut, but does not diminish tool life or surface finish. The oscillation breaks the material into small chips rather than long stringy ones. Productivity is increased by significantly reducing operator intervention to remove hanging or “bird-nesting” chips.
Material advancements are just as important as machine upgrades for achieving manufacturing and product performance goals for orthopedic implants and devices. For example, Greene Tweed, a Kulpsville, Pa.-based composites design and manufacturing firm that often works with MDMs, recently developed the capability to produce thicker plate stock to facilitate additional nesting and machining options. Advanced analytical tools were used to generate a thermally balanced mold. “This mold concept actively facilitates uniform heat transfer during plate manufacturing, ensuring minimal porosity, consistent fiber wetting, and laminate density throughout the entirety of the plate,” said product manager Travis Mease.
Thicker carbon fiber/polyetheretherketone [PEEK] fabric plates remove machining limitations and provide increased flexibility from a design and sizing perspective. “Using a compression molding process, Greene Tweed can now provide plates up to 2.5 inches thick without sacrificing quality or needing to remove the exterior edge of the plate,” Mease added.
Laser machining and micro machining are gaining widespread adoption within the orthopedic industry. Laser machining has proven its ability to deliver consistent results in the manufacturing process, even for the most complex parts—offering exceptional precision and accuracy over a wide range of materials, including both metals and plastics. Micro machining also enables CMs to venture into extremely small-scale manufacturing with part tolerances as small as 2.5 microns, providing new design options for intricate and delicate orthopedic components.
“Both these advanced technologies undoubtedly surpass traditional machining methods in terms of precision and repeatability, elevating the overall quality of orthopedic devices and components,” said Vadlamudi. “The remarkable precision of laser machining and micro machining paves the way for enhanced product performance and patient outcomes. As we progress into the future of the orthopedic industry, these technologies will become indispensable tools for manufacturers and engineers.”
“IoT facilitates the integration of various stages of the machining process, such as computer-aided design [CAD]/CAM systems, CNC machines, and inspection equipment,” said Vadlamudi. “This seamless integration ensures automated tool changes, adaptive machining, and quality control, leading to increased productivity and enhanced accuracy.”
The convergence of IoT and machining will lead to continued process improvement, heightened efficiency and productivity, smarter systems, and better (and faster) data-driven decision making.
However, despite these advantages, there are still some MDMs for which the terms “machine connectivity” and “IoT” generate some reluctance, or even resistance, to putting their manufacturing operations online. “In terms of sensors, data collection, and data analysis, not enough manufacturing companies have taken the time to establish their own roadmap of what they want to do, why they want to do it, and how to get it done,” said Poulsen. “Too many companies also see digital functions that are offered with machines as a cost, rather than a value. Undeniably, however, digital processes will be a big part of machining in the future.”
Even though AM applications are growing rapidly, there are very few devices that can be made solely using AM. Usually there are secondary machining operations that can only be done on a CNC machine—for example, surface treatments.
“The integration of both processes allows for a powerful combination that accentuates their respective advantages,” said Vadlamudi. “In numerous cases, additive manufacturing establishes the foundational structure of a part, laying the groundwork for subsequent fine-tuning through machining to add intricate details and features. This symbiotic approach facilitates the production of complex products with unparalleled accuracy and repeatability.”
Secondary machining operations are often required to finish AM-made orthopedic products. To save time, machine manufacturers are building hybrid, dual-purpose machines that incorporate both AM build-up and CNC tolerances, speeds, and surface finishes in both series and parallel operations. A semi-finished component can be placed into the system that then performs both subtractive and additive manufacturing processes to produce the final device—leveraging the best portions of each process.
Even so, the machining industry continues to innovate, with a focus on speed and efficiency, usually by adding upgraded features or increasing ease and functionality, such as making hybrid machines. Machine companies that understand there is a limit to what can be achieved with traditional machining methods and materials are more willing to invest in R&D to stay competitive and introduce new products. For example, GF Machining Solutions is developing a complete solution for the supercritical CO2 machining of titanium. “We have a Mikron MILL S 400 U fully equipped with this technology and are currently running tests for several customers,” said Poulsen. “We have seen material removal more than 70% higher than with conventional flood coolant, and tool life extended by 80%. I am very optimistic that this approach can produce significant gains for many medical device customers.”
MDMs continue to design and develop complex, miniaturized parts and assemblies. This is especially true for minimally invasive procedures, personalized implants such as knee and hip arthroplasty, spinal fusion, and fracture applications, smart implants, and in-home monitoring using post-operative devices.
With components and features as small as a few hundred microns, MDMs and CMs must find ways to measure these parts accurately to ensure they meet all specifications (some of which cannot be seen with the naked eye). For example, Mach Medical has added DW Fritz ZeroTouch scanning technology to its inspection tools. Using multiple non-contact inspection technologies such as lasers, vision systems, and other sensor technologies, the ZeroTouch process performs rapid in-line or near-line measurements of 100% of parts with high precision and repeatability. Multiple non-contact sensors capture millions of data points, “creating an accurate digital replica of the produced component at cycle times that are inside the machining cycle times, allowing consistent product flow through the factory,” said Rozow. ”The equipment is capable of scanning highly reflective surfaces as well as textured surfaces with low single-digit micron precision and accuracy.The output can be formatted per customer preference for easily read device history records or can be imported into a CAD system, if more detailed analysis is required.”
Keeping pace with MDM innovation requires that machining companies invest in IoT technologies such as additive manufacturing, sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics, all of which can help speed up development and reduce manufacturing costs. Digital twins, generative design, and artificial intelligence can all be used to very rapidly evaluate thousands of design options to find the best possible combination of materials and device design for a specific application, saving hundreds of hours if attempted by human engineers.
In the HR realm, to stay competitive, machine companies must also build the organizational talent and culture needed to understand and assemble these new innovative products. “Continuing the organizational growth that fuels innovation is a daily leadership effort that requires a strong talent strategy, focus, and patience,” said Rozow.
Hybrid machine tools will be a key growth area for machining in the coming years. Hybrid machine tools that include CNC machining, laser cutting, and laser welding are already on shop floors. Some hybrid equipment can make small, high-precision cuts that cannot be achieved by conventional machining. AM can be added, as well as increasingly sophisticated micro-machining and bar-fed, multi-axis machining. Hybrid equipment drives costs down by shortening lead times for prototyping, increasing throughput, reducing scrap, and improving process capability, delivering a fairly quick return on investment.
“Hybrid manufacturing also reduces errors by allowing parts to be 3D-printed and finished in a single set-up,” said Vadlamudi. “This not only eliminates most secondary operations, but also permits the creation of part features that would otherwise be impossible to produce with purely additive or subtractive machining. Hybrid machines also conserve time by reducing the number of steps involved in the manufacturing process. They can also provide tighter tolerances than any manufacturing process alone.”
Machine manufacturers continue to study new ways to combine multiple technologies into one workstation to maximize efficient production, which gets products to market more quickly. To make this happen even faster, “in the near future, these hybrid machines will also be equipped with inspection capabilities, along with amazing IoT tools,” said Vadlamudi.
Mark Crawford is a full-time freelance business and marketing/communications writer based in Corrales, N.M. His clients range from startups to global manufacturing leaders. He has written for MPO and ODT magazines for more than 15 years and is the author of five books.
Business is on the rise among orthopedic device manufacturers, especially for joint replacements and increased funding for R&D, with many new devices in development. Additional inventory is also needed to support an increase in post-pandemic elective surgeries and the migration of these procedures to ambulatory surgical centers (ASC).
Among these procedures, “single-use orthopedic devices and new hip- and knee-replacement products are some of the hottest segments in the industry,” said Raghu Vadlamudi, chief research and technology director for Donatelle, a New Brighton, Minn.-based provider of integrated contract manufacturing services to medical device companies.
The insatiable drive for more precision—smaller features, tighter tolerances, and more complex geometries—as well as advanced materials such as bioabsorbable materials, titanium alloys, and cobalt-chromium alloys, requires advanced machines with improved process controls. Multi-axis machining and robotic machining especially help improve accuracy, repeatability, and efficiency, while reducing human error and boosting overall quality and production capabilities.
Computer numerical control (CNC) machines have dramatically improved in rigidity, footprint, ease of robotic integration, processing speed and capacity, and accuracy and precision. “These improvements allow us to rethink entrenched processes,” said Steve Rozow, general manager and co-founder of Mach Medical, a Columbia City, Ind.-based contract manufacturer of orthopedic and spine medical device components. “For instance, we can now machine materials that once required grinding, as well as surface parts more efficiently, thereby reducing the need for post-processing.”
What OEMs Want
Medical device manufacturers (MDMs) always seek speed, accuracy, lower costs, and more design help from their contract manufacturers (CMs). MDMs are keenly interested in anything that saves them time and money without sacrificing quality or performance—and they routinely expect their CMs to find ways to do this. With ongoing supply chain challenges and the shift to ASCs, the pressure on MDMs to reduce costs whenever possible is ongoing.MDMs place significant emphasis on high precision, repeatability, and quality assurance when engaging in machining services. They also have a strong demand for swift and cost-effective machining solutions that strictly adhere to all regulatory and quality standards. “Ideally, MDMs seek machining providers that can meet all these requirements, while also efficiently managing tight timelines and budget constraints,” said Vadlamudi. “Furthermore, MDMs often express interest in vertical integration, integrating complementary manufacturing processes with machining, to benefit from a comprehensive one-stop service approach.”
Increasingly, MDMs utilize functional surfaces on their implantable devices. For example, lasers can digitally etch a surface structure on an implant to promote bone growth. “Functional surfaces made with lasers can also be hydrophobic and anti-bacterial—in fact, multiple different surfaces can be placed on a device, all in a single set-up,” said Erik Poulsen, medical market segment manager for GF Machining Solutions, a Biel, Switzerland-based provider of milling, electrical discharge machining, laser, tooling, and automation equipment. “This trend started some years ago and continues to accelerate.”
Automation is often the key to saving time and money. MDMs are attracted to CMs that have automated their processes to maximize quality and speed while improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.
“Automation is truly a foundational building block for manufacturing,” said Philip Allen, vice president of sales and marketing for Lowell, a Minneapolis, Minn.-based contract manufacturer of complex implants and instruments for the orthopedic and cardiovascular markets.
Lowell is committed to increasing capacity, throughput, quality, and career satisfaction through automation. About a decade ago, the company automated its Leitz coordinate measuring machine (CMM) with a robotic arm. That provided the platform for future automations; since then, Lowell has automated many of its machine tools, including its laser marker.
“Automation takes many forms at Lowell, not just machine tools and our CMMs,” added Allen. “We use the QT9 software system to centralize our documentation and add efficiency to our quality management system. We are also investing in an automated inspection system from Vision Engineering that can both verify screw lengths and check laser marking through optical character recognition.”
“Our customers are always looking for turn-key solutions, such as automated cells that can work 24/7 with only a minimum of operator attention,” added Poulsen. “This trend started some years ago and continues to accelerate.”
Yet another way for MDMs and their CMs to reduce costs is through improved inventory management. Inventory reduction is a key goal for many MDMs, considering they conservatively spend 8% of their revenue just maintaining the inventory they carry, noted Rozow. To improve on this, Mach Medical developed its High Velocity Manufacturing platform, which efficiently produces flexible lot sizes down to a single piece with three-week lead times. “Essentially, we make only what the MDM needs, when it needs it,” said Rozow. “With this approach, we can help reduce a customer’s inventory burden by 30% to 85% for any given family of products.”
New Technologies, Tools, and Systems
Time to market, of course, is a top priority for MDMs. It can take years to develop and launch a new product, with much of that time consumed by the translation of engineering specs into executable manufacturing and the launch build. Mach Medical speeds up time to market by standardizing the tooling and fixtures used in its manufacturing platform and automating much of the engineering transfer work. “This allows us to compress this portion of the product development cycle to three months in most cases, enabling OEMs to realize revenue much faster,” said Rozow. “For example, a large SKU-count plating system from purchase order to launch was completed in five weeks. We also partnered with another company to deliver a cementless knee system in eight weeks.”With miniaturized medical devices often requiring features or components that have diameters of 0.4 mm or less, with tolerances in the 10- to 20-micron range, the highest-possible machine accuracy is needed. For example, the combination of new cutting tool technology (barrel cutters, form cutters) and machines equipped with linear drives, torque motors, and state-of-the-art software is advancing the limits of milling. “When the right cutting tool, computer-aided manufacturing [CAM] programming, and machine all work together, milling can result in surface finishes that approach those from grinding and allow shapes like the condyle surface of a femoral knee implant to go from milling directly to polishing,” said Poulsen.
Modulation-assisted machining (also known as oscillation cutting) is becoming a mainstream cutting tool. This technology breakthrough oscillates a servo axis to help break up chips in tough-to-cut materials. This action reduces heat in the cut, but does not diminish tool life or surface finish. The oscillation breaks the material into small chips rather than long stringy ones. Productivity is increased by significantly reducing operator intervention to remove hanging or “bird-nesting” chips.
Material advancements are just as important as machine upgrades for achieving manufacturing and product performance goals for orthopedic implants and devices. For example, Greene Tweed, a Kulpsville, Pa.-based composites design and manufacturing firm that often works with MDMs, recently developed the capability to produce thicker plate stock to facilitate additional nesting and machining options. Advanced analytical tools were used to generate a thermally balanced mold. “This mold concept actively facilitates uniform heat transfer during plate manufacturing, ensuring minimal porosity, consistent fiber wetting, and laminate density throughout the entirety of the plate,” said product manager Travis Mease.
Thicker carbon fiber/polyetheretherketone [PEEK] fabric plates remove machining limitations and provide increased flexibility from a design and sizing perspective. “Using a compression molding process, Greene Tweed can now provide plates up to 2.5 inches thick without sacrificing quality or needing to remove the exterior edge of the plate,” Mease added.
Laser machining and micro machining are gaining widespread adoption within the orthopedic industry. Laser machining has proven its ability to deliver consistent results in the manufacturing process, even for the most complex parts—offering exceptional precision and accuracy over a wide range of materials, including both metals and plastics. Micro machining also enables CMs to venture into extremely small-scale manufacturing with part tolerances as small as 2.5 microns, providing new design options for intricate and delicate orthopedic components.
“Both these advanced technologies undoubtedly surpass traditional machining methods in terms of precision and repeatability, elevating the overall quality of orthopedic devices and components,” said Vadlamudi. “The remarkable precision of laser machining and micro machining paves the way for enhanced product performance and patient outcomes. As we progress into the future of the orthopedic industry, these technologies will become indispensable tools for manufacturers and engineers.”
The Internet of Things
Integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) with machining enables seamless communication and data exchange, resulting in more efficient, automated, and streamlined machining processes. With IoT technologies, MDMs and their CMs can build digital transformation strategies to monitor equipment performance, aggregate and analyze machine data, and deliver or integrate actionable insights into factory operations or workflows—all of which enable optimization and continuous improvement of the machining process.“IoT facilitates the integration of various stages of the machining process, such as computer-aided design [CAD]/CAM systems, CNC machines, and inspection equipment,” said Vadlamudi. “This seamless integration ensures automated tool changes, adaptive machining, and quality control, leading to increased productivity and enhanced accuracy.”
The convergence of IoT and machining will lead to continued process improvement, heightened efficiency and productivity, smarter systems, and better (and faster) data-driven decision making.
However, despite these advantages, there are still some MDMs for which the terms “machine connectivity” and “IoT” generate some reluctance, or even resistance, to putting their manufacturing operations online. “In terms of sensors, data collection, and data analysis, not enough manufacturing companies have taken the time to establish their own roadmap of what they want to do, why they want to do it, and how to get it done,” said Poulsen. “Too many companies also see digital functions that are offered with machines as a cost, rather than a value. Undeniably, however, digital processes will be a big part of machining in the future.”
CNC versus AM
Machining and additive manufacturing (AM) hold pivotal roles in medical device manufacturing, each contributing unique strengths that do not necessarily compete with each other. Rather, they are frequently used together to craft intricate and sophisticated parts and products. AM involves a layer-by-layer material addition process to construct objects, whereas machining is a subtractive process, involving material removal to achieve desired shapes.Even though AM applications are growing rapidly, there are very few devices that can be made solely using AM. Usually there are secondary machining operations that can only be done on a CNC machine—for example, surface treatments.
“The integration of both processes allows for a powerful combination that accentuates their respective advantages,” said Vadlamudi. “In numerous cases, additive manufacturing establishes the foundational structure of a part, laying the groundwork for subsequent fine-tuning through machining to add intricate details and features. This symbiotic approach facilitates the production of complex products with unparalleled accuracy and repeatability.”
Secondary machining operations are often required to finish AM-made orthopedic products. To save time, machine manufacturers are building hybrid, dual-purpose machines that incorporate both AM build-up and CNC tolerances, speeds, and surface finishes in both series and parallel operations. A semi-finished component can be placed into the system that then performs both subtractive and additive manufacturing processes to produce the final device—leveraging the best portions of each process.
Despite Challenges, Innovation Prevails
The biggest challenges to innovation in orthopedic device manufacturing are cost, time, and complexity. Machining is a complicated process that requires expensive, high-precision tools and materials, as well as the skilled talent to operate the equipment. With MDMs laser-focused on more speed and less cost, machine manufacturers and CMs often find it hard to get their buy-in for new and improved processes and products. Many MDMs also resist the idea of shifting away from established, “tried-and-true” processes and materials to embrace new approaches, even though the gains could be impressive. Using new or improved methods or materials would also require more validation and testing for FDA approval, ultimately slowing down that process and the race to get to market.Even so, the machining industry continues to innovate, with a focus on speed and efficiency, usually by adding upgraded features or increasing ease and functionality, such as making hybrid machines. Machine companies that understand there is a limit to what can be achieved with traditional machining methods and materials are more willing to invest in R&D to stay competitive and introduce new products. For example, GF Machining Solutions is developing a complete solution for the supercritical CO2 machining of titanium. “We have a Mikron MILL S 400 U fully equipped with this technology and are currently running tests for several customers,” said Poulsen. “We have seen material removal more than 70% higher than with conventional flood coolant, and tool life extended by 80%. I am very optimistic that this approach can produce significant gains for many medical device customers.”
MDMs continue to design and develop complex, miniaturized parts and assemblies. This is especially true for minimally invasive procedures, personalized implants such as knee and hip arthroplasty, spinal fusion, and fracture applications, smart implants, and in-home monitoring using post-operative devices.
With components and features as small as a few hundred microns, MDMs and CMs must find ways to measure these parts accurately to ensure they meet all specifications (some of which cannot be seen with the naked eye). For example, Mach Medical has added DW Fritz ZeroTouch scanning technology to its inspection tools. Using multiple non-contact inspection technologies such as lasers, vision systems, and other sensor technologies, the ZeroTouch process performs rapid in-line or near-line measurements of 100% of parts with high precision and repeatability. Multiple non-contact sensors capture millions of data points, “creating an accurate digital replica of the produced component at cycle times that are inside the machining cycle times, allowing consistent product flow through the factory,” said Rozow. ”The equipment is capable of scanning highly reflective surfaces as well as textured surfaces with low single-digit micron precision and accuracy.The output can be formatted per customer preference for easily read device history records or can be imported into a CAD system, if more detailed analysis is required.”
Keeping pace with MDM innovation requires that machining companies invest in IoT technologies such as additive manufacturing, sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics, all of which can help speed up development and reduce manufacturing costs. Digital twins, generative design, and artificial intelligence can all be used to very rapidly evaluate thousands of design options to find the best possible combination of materials and device design for a specific application, saving hundreds of hours if attempted by human engineers.
In the HR realm, to stay competitive, machine companies must also build the organizational talent and culture needed to understand and assemble these new innovative products. “Continuing the organizational growth that fuels innovation is a daily leadership effort that requires a strong talent strategy, focus, and patience,” said Rozow.
Hybrid machine tools will be a key growth area for machining in the coming years. Hybrid machine tools that include CNC machining, laser cutting, and laser welding are already on shop floors. Some hybrid equipment can make small, high-precision cuts that cannot be achieved by conventional machining. AM can be added, as well as increasingly sophisticated micro-machining and bar-fed, multi-axis machining. Hybrid equipment drives costs down by shortening lead times for prototyping, increasing throughput, reducing scrap, and improving process capability, delivering a fairly quick return on investment.
“Hybrid manufacturing also reduces errors by allowing parts to be 3D-printed and finished in a single set-up,” said Vadlamudi. “This not only eliminates most secondary operations, but also permits the creation of part features that would otherwise be impossible to produce with purely additive or subtractive machining. Hybrid machines also conserve time by reducing the number of steps involved in the manufacturing process. They can also provide tighter tolerances than any manufacturing process alone.”
Machine manufacturers continue to study new ways to combine multiple technologies into one workstation to maximize efficient production, which gets products to market more quickly. To make this happen even faster, “in the near future, these hybrid machines will also be equipped with inspection capabilities, along with amazing IoT tools,” said Vadlamudi.
Mark Crawford is a full-time freelance business and marketing/communications writer based in Corrales, N.M. His clients range from startups to global manufacturing leaders. He has written for MPO and ODT magazines for more than 15 years and is the author of five books.