Induction Heating for Medical Device Manufacturing

How is induction used for medical device manufacture?

Ambrell's induction heating systems provide medical device manufacturers with reliable, repeatable, non-contact heat, with control and accuracy focusing energy to a specific part area.

Induction generates an electromagnetic field in a work coil that induces currents in the conductive material of a workpiece placed within or near the coil. Friction from these currents elevates the temperature of the workpieces to be heated.

Benefits of Using Induction in Medical Device Manufacture

Induction meets tight production tolerances delivering precise localized heat to small areas creating pinpoint accuracy. The process increases production rates with faster heating cycles, reduces defect rates with repeatable, reliable heat and eliminates variability from operator-to-operator, shift-to-shift.

medical device manufacturing Application Notes

Select from our collection of medical device manufacturing notes, taken from years supporting our customers. Read how we helped to solve their process heating challenges.

image: Heating Surgical Tools for Coating Burn Off Heating Surgical Tools for Coating Burn Off

To heat surgical tools to burn-off the nylon coating; the client had been using a torch for this application. Within seconds of the power being turned on, the coating on the tool began to smoke and soon started to bubble.

image: Heating Steel Shafts for Forming (Medical Tools) Heating Steel Shafts for Forming (Medical Tools)

A custom-designed single position multiple-turn helical coil was built to generate the required heating for this application.

image: Heating an aluminum-backed circuit board to reflow solder Heating an aluminum-backed circuit board to reflow solder

Given the significantly faster heating time, induction improves throughput in this process and is a more efficient heating method than hot plate heating

image: Heating a copper end cap to temperature to melt wax Heating a copper end cap to temperature to melt wax

To heat a copper end cap to temperature for a wax reflow application; the end product is a temperature stat and the client is looking to cut their heating time in half...

image: Heating a nanoparticle solution to 40 °C Heating a nanoparticle solution to 40 °C

Heat a nanoparticle solution to get it to increase at least 40 °C for medical research/laboratory testing

image: Brazing stainless steel medical tool parts into a coupling Brazing stainless steel medical tool parts into a coupling

Induction heating is used to achieve client's goal to braze both stainless steel parts as quickly as possible with maximum repeatability...

image: Heating iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles in an aqueous solution for research Heating iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles in an aqueous solution for research

An eight turn helical coil is used to heat the vials. 0.0625 thick insulation is wrapped around the vial and the vial is placed in the coil. The optical temperature probe is inserted into the vial with the base of the probe located in the middle of the coil turns.

image: Heating graphite susceptor for glass reflow for X-ray tubes Heating graphite susceptor for glass reflow for X-ray tubes

A two turn helical coil is used for heating. Six graphite susceptors are placed in the nitrogen atmosphere with glass discs and a stainless steel holder.

image: Heating solutions in vials for cancer research Heating solutions in vials for cancer research

A four turn helical coil is used to heat the vial for 30 second intervals for five minutes with a temperature reading taken at each interval.

image: Brazing stainless steel orthodontic begg brackets Brazing stainless steel orthodontic begg brackets

A two turn oblong helical coil is designed to heat the steel brackets which are sandwiched between the two pieces of graphite.

image: Bonding a Gasket to a Sombrero Nut Bonding a Gasket to a Sombrero Nut

A multi-turn pancake coil is used to preheat the nut. It is then transported to the next station where it is pressed onto a gasket for bonding

image: Induction Bonding Metal to Plastic for Dental Tools Induction Bonding Metal to Plastic for Dental Tools

To prepare for induction bonding, the plastic handle was slid onto the picks or mirror and placed inside the induction heating coil and heated

image: Induction Bonding Steel Cannulas Induction Bonding Steel Cannulas

For each size cannula, the power delivered to the part was optimized to create a bond between the cannula and its bushing, without discoloring the steel of the cannula or causing the bushing to become opaque

image: Bonding Steel Tubes to Plastic Tubes with Induction Bonding Steel Tubes to Plastic Tubes with Induction

Bonding with induction took just five seconds with our lowest power unit to deliver the bond just where it was needed.

image: Brazing carbide to steel for a surgical device Brazing carbide to steel for a surgical device

Compared to a stick-fed flame braze heating, induction heating provides consistently higher quality joints. This is critical for medical applications.

image: De-Bonding Urethane From A Steel Insert (Doffer Pad) De-Bonding Urethane From A Steel Insert (Doffer Pad)

A three-turn pancake style coil is used to de-bond urethane from the steel disc. The part is placed onto two 0.10 (2.5mm) thick ceramic rods on top of the coil and heated for 15 seconds...

image: Induction Hardening Steel Blades Induction Hardening Steel Blades

Optimum power is delivered to the steel blades to understand the heat pattern. The feasibility of the application is confirmed. The target temperature is achieved in less than 15 seconds.

image: Bonding a stainless steel needle to a plastic shank Bonding a stainless steel needle to a plastic shank

A pancake/plate coil is used in this application. Ten assemblies are placed in the coil and power is applied for 1 second to melt the plastic to the stainless steel needle

image: Hardening surgical blades Hardening surgical blades

To quickly heat a steel surgical blade to 2000°F (1093°C) within 2 seconds so as to harden the blade edge.

image: Induction Bonding an Arthroscopic Device Induction Bonding an Arthroscopic Device

Induction is used to bond the device sheath to collet. Innovative coil design lifts production rate.

image: De-bonding Stainless Steel/Carbon Fiber Assembly De-bonding Stainless Steel/Carbon Fiber Assembly

Induction heating process is more environmentally-friendly without the use of noxious chemicals

image: Bonding Metal to Plastic for Dental Tools Bonding Metal to Plastic for Dental Tools

Reliable bonds are produced when the diameters of the preassembled parts are consistent with little clearance before they are heated.

image: Bonding Metal Housings to Plastic Holders for Lenses Bonding Metal Housings to Plastic Holders for Lenses

Induction heating improves processing quality by delivering uniform heat to two parts at once using a single-turn peanut' coil. Localized heat enables easy alignment of optical components during final assembly

image: Brazing steel orthodontic parts Brazing steel orthodontic parts

A four turn helical coil is used to heat parts. Brazing paste is applied to orthodontic parts with a syringe...

image: Fuse thermoplastic catheter tubes Fuse thermoplastic catheter tubes

Heating of the mandrel is from the inside out providing a smooth finish on the outside of the assemblies.

image: Hardening Stainless Steel Surgical Knife Blades Hardening Stainless Steel Surgical Knife Blades

A two turn helical coil with an internal quartz tube designed to scan the length of the blade is used to heat the blade to 1850°F (1010°C) to achieve the desired hardness.

image: Brazing steel dental tools Brazing steel dental tools

To heat a steel tip and shank assembly to 1300°F (704°C) within 3 seconds for brazing with induction heating instead of torch brazing.

image: Bonding a plastic handle to a surgical knife Bonding a plastic handle to a surgical knife

Bonding handle of a stainless steel surgical knife into a plastic handle for very small areas within precise production tolerances

image: Heating Catheter Tipping Die Heating Catheter Tipping Die

To heat an aluminum catheter tipping die to above 285F within 2 to 5 seconds for the forming of catheter material.

image: Brazing a heat-sensing probe Brazing a heat-sensing probe

A C-shaped steel susceptor is used to ensure even heating and for ease of loading and unloading the samples.

image: Annealing steel tubes in an inert atmosphere Annealing steel tubes in an inert atmosphere

Induction annealing heats steel tubes to 2000 ºF (1093 ºC) in an inert atmosphere for very small areas within precise production tolerances. A two-turn concentrator coil is used to heat the stainless steel tube. The annealing process takes place in an inert atmosphere to prevent oxidation.

image: Heating a catheter tipping die Heating a catheter tipping die

A two turn plate concentrator coil is used to heat the die. To measure the temperature on the ID and establish the time-to-temperature relationship...

image: Heat Setting A Shape Memory Alloy Heat Setting A Shape Memory Alloy