ASTM F86 Passivation Standard for Surgical Implants
The standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) ensure the high quality of various metal finishing services.
At Able Electropolishing, we adhere to the ASTM F86 standard for the passivation of metallic surgical implants. This includes the treatment of stainless steel, titanium, Nitinol and other metals used in surgical implants to remove surface contaminants and enhance corrosion resistance.
WHAT IS ASTM F86 PASSIVATION?
The ASTM F86 standard specifies requirements for performing passivation on surgical implants. Surgical implants require exceptional corrosion resistance and must be free from surface contaminants that can result from manufacturing processes.
Our passivation process for stainless steel and other alloys ensures that a wide range of surgical implants meet the stringent standards of ASTM. By removing surface contaminants such as free iron and other particulates, we enhance the biocompatibility and safety of surgical implants.
MEETING ASTM F86
Surface contaminants can serve as an initiation point for corrosion, potentially compromising the integrity of parts designed for surgical implantation.
Our passivation process effectively cleans these impurities and helps in achieving a uniform and clean surface finish, significantly enhancing a part’s resistance to corrosion. Only specialized metal finishing services like ours meet the rigorous standards set by ASTM, which are critical for the safety and efficacy of surgical implants.
PASSIVATION VS. ELECTROPOLISHING
Electropolishing Before & After Example
Passivation:
Passivation is a chemical cleaning process that is designed to remove free iron and other foreign particles from the surface of metal parts such as stainless steel, titanium, Nitinol, and more. Removing the contamination from machining, stamping, etc., helps to restore the material to the original mill condition and corrosion specifications.
Passivation is ideal for many grades of stainless steel that have adequate levels of chromium and nickel, and can help increase the longevity of many types of metal parts.
Electropolishing:
Electropolishing is often preferred when a higher level of corrosion resistance and the removal of surface defects such as burrs and microcracks are required. It involves the precise removal of a thin layer of surface material, achieving removal accuracy up to +/-.0001″, depending on the alloy. This process not only removes various surface imperfections in one step but also significantly increases corrosion resistance — up to 30 times more than passivation.
Electropolishing, which also leaves parts in a passivated state, can often eliminate the need for additional finishing processes such as manual deburring, tumbling, pickling, and extensive cleaning. It is particularly beneficial for critical parts used in the medical, aerospace, and pharmaceutical industries, providing a microsmooth, ultraclean, and corrosion-resistant finish.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PASSIVATION VS. ELECTROPOLISHING
Contact us to learn more about the benefits of passivation and how it compares to electropolishing for your surgical implants and other critical metal components.
Contact us to learn more about passivation
