Application of Advanced Manufacturing Techniques to Forged Surgical Instruments.
Abstract
The domestic industrial base for forged surgical instruments has been diminishing for more than 10 years. This erosion has reduced the industry to a point where it cannot meet surge requirements. These instruments are presently made in small batches using manufacturing methods that require large amounts of highly skilled labor. This study identified the operations that make up the manufacturing sequence. Operations can be divided into three categories, machining, benching/assembly and polishing. Aside from forging costs, these categories represent 25%, 25% and 50% respectively of the total manufacturing cost. The use of automated polishing and a non-flash net shape process to make the original starting piece, using Kelly forceps as an example, can eliminate most of the machining and polishing operations. A redesign of the hinge from a box lock to a lap joint would eliminate some of the bench/assembly steps. The net result would be to reduce manufacturing costs to a point where domestic forceps could compete with forceps made off-shore according to price differentials reported in the survey. Support for hinge redesign is documented. The applicability of such net shape process candidates as precision casting, cold forming and powder metallurgy is considered. Keywords: Cost analysis, Cost effectiveness, Surgical instruments, Price differential, Machining, Polishing, Bench/assembly operation, Box lock, Lap joint, Precision casting, Show process, Forging, Cold forming.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA190776
Entities
People
- F. D. Seaman