These days, humans are getting older on average than ever before. Since 1990, life expectancy in the EU has increased from 74 to over 81 years. This trend has a major impact on many parts of our life.

 

 

Modern medicine has played an important role in people living longer. To maintain quality of life into old age, the demand for spare parts and implants for human bodies is increasing at the same time. Medical technology is the branch of medicine that combines the knowledge of doctors with the expertise of technicians and engineers to improve human health. It includes trauma implants, artificial joints and the manufacture of medical tools.

 

Due to the high requirements and small tolerances in this industry, partners experienced in manufacturing are needed to guarantee consistent quality of the finished products. With innovative grinding solutions, for example, Tyrolit ensures that hypodermic needles are sharp with no microscopically small barbs and that patients with new hips can get back to moving smoothly as quickly as possible.

Trends and innovations

A long and active life puts a particular strain on our joints. Orthopaedics therefore plays an important role in the field of medical technology. Hip and knee joint operations in particular are now routine interventions. However, the dental industry accounts for the largest percentage of implants. Over one million dental implants are installed each year in Germany alone.

 

The demand for ever better and more durable products through the use of new materials in the production process is steadily increasing. With numerous system solutions and proven experience, Tyrolit is a competent partner for medical technology customers.

Discover our innovations add

approx. 1.4 billion

Number of over 60s worldwide by 2030

10%

Increase in life expectancy by 2050

> 219,000

Hip operations per year in Germany

Expertise and solutions for medical technology

As a leading supplier, Tyrolit stands for first-class grinding solutions in medical technology. Through numerous innovations such as the reduction of the machining process for grinding hip joints from five to three steps as well as the significant reduction in time when rough grinding an articular socket from 10 minutes to 25 seconds, we are creating measurable added value for our customers.

See the products add

Applications in medical technology

Hypodermic needles

The raw material (tube) is cut to length using a cutting tool with defined cutting edge and then bundled to a needle package with adhesive tape.

This needle package is then clamped onto a grinding machine. Through repeatedly changing the needle position, the needle tips and the bevels are ground burr-free using resin bonded SiC.

TYROLIT - Category - Product - Hypodermic needles

Knee joints

The cast knee joint is separated from the sprue using a cut-off wheel. The form is then ground using a vitrified bonded CBN tool before the surface is polished using ELASTIC products, in order to guarantee the best-possible characteristics of the artificial knee joint.

TYROLIT - Category - Product - Knee joints

Hip joints

Hip joints are machined according to the turning process with various grinding and polishing tools. First, pre-grinding is performed with CBN or SiC tools. Fine grinding is then performed, also using CBN or SiC. Polishing takes place using tools made from special aluminium oxide. The final polishing process is performed using felt.

TYROLIT - Category - Product - Hip joints

Implants

The contours of the trauma plates are produced by CNC milling and then polished using TYROLIT Elastic or unitised polishing tools.

TYROLIT - Category - Product - Implants