Coating for medical devices

With instruments and implants, functional coatings determine wear, sliding behaviour, colour coding and biocompatibility. The spectrum ranges from PVD hard coatings (TiN, CrN, DLC) through anodic oxide layers for the colour coding of titanium to non-stick and insulating coatings for HF surgery.

For buyers, what counts first is evidence of biocompatibility in the coated final condition — raw material data for the coating material is not enough, assessment is carried out to ISO 10993 on the finished coating system. Second, process validation: coating adhesion, coating thickness distribution and reproducibility across batches must be documented, for implants including resistance to cleaning and sterilisation. Third, the marking question: laser marking before or after coating changes legibility and corrosion behaviour — a detail that can become expensive in the event of a complaint.

In the register, coating is listed as a process in its own right and can be combined with materials and certifications. That is how to find the specialist who supplies DLC on titanium with a documented ISO 10993 assessment — or the anodising firm that reliably masters the colour coding of entire instrument trays.