As the name suggests, a thermal spray coating is a special covering that is applied to substrates such as medical devices, semiconductors, jet engine components and various metals in order to improve their surface properties or enhance their efficiency. Thermal spray coatings can heighten the quality of appearance, extend a device's durability and act as scratch and corrosion resistance.

Medical devices, typically made of stainless steel or other durable and light weight elements, are required to exert minimum friction, excellent adhesion and most importantly controllable conductivity and usability tolerance. These features are often
optimized by using thermal spray coatings and titanium coatings. Medical devices can range from a single non-ground wire to devices of various shapes and sizes that demand extensive masking.

Along with serving as corrosion resistance for common medical devices, titanium coatings are now applied to orthopedic implants in order to afford the implant greater permanence. The porous, bio-active coating enables the biomedical engineer to design an implant that is better suited to interact with human bone tissue.

Medical device coatings are now often comprised of hydroxyapatite, a calcium phosphate material that serves as an excellent synthetic bone substitute. Medical device coatings can be applied to virtually any type of implant, including knee, shoulder, elbow, finger, ankle, vertebrae, dental and others. Hydroxyapatite coatings have been shown to improve the flexibility, durability and overall performance of all of these types of implants.

For further information on medical device coating solutions, hydroxyapatite or other uses for thermal spray coatings, please call us directly at 937-278-6547 or visit us at www.apsmaterials.com.

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APS Materials, Inc. is experiencing rapid growth as a client based provider of innovative plasma spray and More Health articles