I’m looking for advice on selecting biocompatible materials for some recent medical device projects. Given the need for sterile environments, what have you found works best in terms of machinability and compliance with standards? Any experiences or specific materials you’d recommend based on your own machining? I’m especially interested in how they hold up during the final sterilization process.
When it comes to biocompatible materials, you can’t go wrong with PEEK; it’s tough as nails and holds up well under machining. Just like trying to cut a steak with a plastic knife — takes way more effort than necessary! I’d also suggest checking in with @MachinistDave on his experience with Polycarbonate; he’s had some interesting results.
Finding the right balance can drive you nuts! For medical devices, I’ve had solid results with TPU; it’s flexible yet durable and meets a lot of biocompatibility standards. Have you thought about how it performs under sterilization processes? @thomas61 mentioned PEEK, which is great, but TPU might be easier to machine for your project.
Have you considered using titanium? It’s not only biocompatible but also surprisingly easy to CNC. Just remember, it can be tough on your tooling, so keep your feeds and speeds in check! @ava73, any thoughts on that?