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IncisionTech was founded to address the needs of surgical device OEMs who
required high performance, razor sharp cutting blades and specialty needles.
IncisionTech developed a process utilizing custom-designed, programmable
Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinery to generate and sharpen blanks for
cutting blades and specialty access needles.
The Challenge
This leading manufacturer of critical cutting blades and piercing components for
surgical applications needed a hardness testing capability with maximum
flexibility. The problem was that some customers specified Rockwell C hardness
measures while other customers specified 30N or other different scales.
 There
is no single thin blade or needle material that is appropriate for all cutting
and piercing applications, so IncisionTech offers a wide range of hardened
stainless steels, ceramic, and many other wear resistant materials and coatings
from which to choose.
Materials most commonly used in blade applications include:
Heat-Treated Stainless Steels- 301 Stainless, 17-4 & 17-7 PH Stainless
- High-Performance Zirconia Ceramic
- Nitinol
- Titanium
- Coatings (such as TiN or Teflon)
The broad offering of available raw materials creates a problem for most
hardness testing equipment as most units only allow measurement on one or two
hardness scales. Many customers require different scales for qualifying
goodness of their blades.
The Solution
IncisionTech needed leading edge measurement capability that would allow easy
conversion from one scale to another. One of the instruments IncisionTech uses
to assure accurate levels of hardness is the Wilson-Instron Series 2000
Rockwell Hardness Tester. The Series 2000 Rockwell Hardness Tester uses optical
linear measurement technology to achieve the highest level of depth measurement
accuracy and resolution available. The closed loop electronic control system
eliminates potential errors associated with deadweight testers. There are no
mechanical linkages or sources of friction between this measuring device and
the tested part.
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