Titanium Precision Medical Blade Prototyping Case Study

The client sought to simplify their existing manufacturing route for a precision titanium medical blade. Traditional production methods required post-production grinding to achieve the required edge condition.

This additional finishing stage was introduced:

1. Increased manufacturing cost.
2. Extended production time.
3. Potential variability between batches.

The client required a manufacturing method that improved edge consistency while reducing process complexity.

Why Chemical Etching Was Evaluated

ACE assessed chemical etching as an alternative because it forms precise blade profiles without mechanical force or thermal input.

Chemical etching differs from machining and grinding because it:

1. Does not introduce mechanical stress into the material.
2. Produces burr-free features.
3. Forms all blade features simultaneously.
4. Enables digital tooling adjustments without hard tooling costs.

These characteristics made the process suitable for feasibility evaluation at the prototype stage.

Prototype and Feasibility Assessment

After technical discussions on the benefits of the etching process, the client proceeded to the prototyping stage.

Prototype components were produced to assess:

1. Blade edge definition.
2. Dimensional consistency.
3. Potential removal of secondary grinding.
4. Overall production efficiency.

The feasibility study enabled the client to compare etched blades directly with their existing manufacturing route.