Cooperation between Orchid and Rösler creates perfect synergy for precise finishing of orthopedic implants

Orchid offers its customers a comprehensive portfolio of services – including forging, casting, 3D printing, finishing, machining and applying bone-in-growth coating to deliver ready-to-use implants and instruments to orthopedic OEMs. With more than 1,500 highly qualified employees in the United States, Great Britain and Switzerland, Orchid offers decades of experience in the fields of joint reconstruction, spine, trauma, sports medicine, dental, heart and blood circulation surgery.

Many implant manufacturers still debur and polish delicate components like hip and knee implants by hand. This is a time-consuming and costly operation that depends to a large extent on the skill and experience of individual employees. Even small differences in the work piece treatment can significantly affect the process time, surface quality and consistency of the finishing results. Moreover, it is increasingly becoming more difficult to find and keep qualified personnel for these tedious manual operations. Automated mechanical systems, like drag finishing equipment from Rösler, eliminate this dependency on manual labor. They guarantee consistent, easy-to-validate results, independent from the equipment operator, working shift or manufacturing location. Moreover, they drastically reduce any manual operations, which substantially increases operational efficiency and stability of the production process.
 

Drag finishing – visible proof of a highly successful cooperation for more than 10 years

For around ten years Orchid has relied on the drag finishing technology from Rösler for deburring, surface smoothing and polishing of complex femur components, initially in the Sheffield plant (UK) and later on in Oregon (USA). Christopher Schwartz, Manager of Manufacturing Engineering at Orchid, explains: „The surface finishing specifications for these components are very demanding. For example, the inside of the femur component must be extremely smooth with roughness readings of Ra = max. 4 to 5 micro inches (around 0.1µm). The slightest surface irregularity will cause unwanted abrasion and result in a faster wear of the artificial joint“

Clay Clayton, Vice President at Orchid Orthopedic Solutions adds: „The surface finishing operation is the most important step of the entire manufacturing process. Regarding cycle times, consistency of the achieved surface finishes and cost efficiency, with the drag finishing technology we achieved a real breakthrough. It helped us to replace unreliable manual operations with an automated, highly scalable system. Paul Strahm, Senior Manager Manufacturing Engineering in Oregon, concludes: „Our finishing operations require considerably less time, and the results are absolutely consistent. Above all, they no longer depend on the skill and experience of the operators. All this has fundamentally changed our manufacturing operation.”

In the meantime the drag finishing technology has been firmly established at various company locations. Alternative methods, such as robotic grinding and polishing proved to be unfeasible in the long run. Strahm explains: „The surface finishes created by the drag finisher are more consistent, the entire operation is straightforward and more flexible, and the surface finishes are simply better“. .
 

A common understanding of the finishing processes – the key for success

The success of the partnership between Orchid and Röser is not only based on the equipment but extends to the interplay of equipment technology, process parameters, media, compounds, and know-how. „We recognized early on that machinery alone will not bring about the desired results. Only the successful combination of all process parameters will result in stable, easy-to-validate results“, comments Clay Clayton. Michael Striebe, Global Sales and Process Expert at Rösler has been a key player in our cooperation. Clay Clayton remembers: „Over the years Michael has worked closely with us, gave valuable advice and pushed us to continuously optimize our manufacturing processes“.

Today seven drag finishers are in operation at US locations in Oregon and Alabama and Sheffield in Great Britain. Despite different work piece types, processing times and consumables, the drag finishers consistently produce the best results – repeatable, scalable and independently from the respective operators.
 

New projects and a joint outlook

The cooperation between Orchid and Rösler is not just limited to drag finishers. In the near future, at the facility in Lansing, forged hip stems will be descaled and cleaned in Rösler high energy disc systems after having been forged. To date, this operation is done manually and, depending on the initial surface conditions, requires one or two minutes per work piece. „Since the hip stems are rather sturdy components, they can be finished in complete batches“, explains Randy Gerding, automation expert from the local site. „With the high energy disc systems we will be able to process up to 150 work pieces in one single batch. This saves not only an enormous amount of time but also produces consistently high finishing qualities.“

Another innovative phase of the partnership is foreseen in the field of dental technologies: For the Orchid location in Santa Ana (USA) the Rösler test center in Battle Creek, Michigan, is testing the deburring of dental instruments with the drag finishing technology. The results so far have been very promising. The new technology will allow Orchid to eliminate two or three manual workplaces. In addition, Orchid is considering the use of the Rösler Surf Finishing technology for high-precision finishing of single components. In this case targeted surface areas on the work pieces must be precisely exposed to the media stream. Michael Striebe, Global Sales and Process Expert at Rösler explains: „For this application the innovative Surf Finishing technology offers substantial benefits. As a matter of fact, Surf Finishing is the only technology that allows the precise and effective finishing of the highly critical “joint box” on femoral components without requiring any manual post-polishing steps. Initial processing trials have been encouraging, and we are pleased to further pursue this technology with Orchid.“
 

Trust, close proximity and common goals

The partnership between Orchid and Rösler is based on technical excellence, trust and an intensive exchange of ideas. With a sizable sales and manufacturing operation in the United States, Rösler is in an excellent position to directly support its North American partners without any time-consuming and costly detours, a significant factor for the close and successful cooperation with Orchid.

Paul Strahm concludes: „Over the years we have learned a lot from each other. Rösler made us aware how important process-knowledge and -maintenance are for achieving consistently high-quality surface finishes, for the benefit of our customers.”

The open and constructive cooperation is equally appreciated by Rösler: „For us Orchid is a partner, who deals with us openly and fairly,” concludes Michael Striebe, Global Sales and Process Expert at Rösler. „We jointly develop surface finishing processes that comply with the continuously increasing demands of the market. And by doing so, we create truly innovative solutions.”