Medical devices include scalpels, surgical scissors, orthopedic implants, catheters, injection needles, injection needles, medical springs, dental tools, etc. When selecting stainless steel materials suitable for medical device products, factors such as biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, mechanical properties, processing performance and cost need to be considered comprehensively.
I. Key selection factors
1. Biocompatibility
Requirement: The material must be non-toxic, non-sensitizing, and not react adversely with human tissue.
Recommendation: Select stainless steel that meets biocompatibility standards such as ISO 10993 or USP Class VI, such as 316L and 440C.
2. Corrosion resistance
Requirement: The material must remain stable in environments such as high humidity, disinfectants and body fluids.
Recommendation:
316L stainless steel: contains molybdenum, has excellent corrosion resistance, and is suitable for long-term contact with body fluids and disinfectants.
440C stainless steel: high carbon and high chromium, good corrosion resistance, suitable for knives and scissors with high hardness requirements.
3. Mechanical properties
Requirements: The material must have high hardness, wear resistance and appropriate toughness.
Recommendations:
440C stainless steel: high hardness (HRC 58-60), suitable for knives and scissors with high wear resistance requirements.
420 stainless steel: medium hardness (HRC 50-55), suitable for knives and scissors that require a certain toughness.
4. Processing performance
Requirements: The material should be easy to process and heat treat.
Recommendations:
420 stainless steel: easy to process and heat treat, suitable for knives and scissors with complex shapes.
440C stainless steel: difficult to process, but excellent performance can be obtained through appropriate heat treatment.
5. Cost
Requirements: Choose a lower-cost material while meeting performance requirements.
Recommendations:
420 stainless steel: low cost, suitable for projects with limited budgets.
316L stainless steel: high cost, but excellent corrosion resistance, suitable for high-end products.
6. Surface treatment
Requirements: The surface should be smooth and non-porous to reduce the risk of bacterial attachment and corrosion.
Recommendation: Electrolytic polishing or passivation treatment to improve surface finish and corrosion resistance.
II. Common stainless steel materials and applications
Stainless steel type |
Common grades |
Specific |
Typical Applications |
Austenitic stainless steel |
304316316L |
Corrosion resistance, good mechanical properties, good biocompatibility |
Scalpels, orthopedic implants, catheters, injection needles |
Martensitic stainless steel |
410420440C |
High hardness, wear resistance, but low corrosion resistance |
Surgical scissors, scalpels, dental tools |
Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel |
17-4PH630 |
High strength, wear and corrosion resistance, heat treatable |
Medical forceps, orthopedic fixation devices |
Duplex stainless steel |
2205 |
High strength, resistant to pitting and crevice corrosion |
Orthopedic implants, stents |
High nitrogen stainless steel |
316LVM (Vacuum melting) |
Extremely low carbon, ultra-high purity, better biocompatibility |
Implants, bone screws, cardiovascular stents |
III. 420 stainless steel
420 stainless steel is a martensitic stainless steel with high hardness, good wear resistance, and heat treatment to adjust hardness. It is mainly used in medical devices that require sharpness and wear resistance.
Medical properties
Property |
Features |
Medical device suitability |
Hardness(HRC50-80) |
Heat treatable to high hardness |
Suitable for blades, scissors, suture needles |
Wear resistance |
High hardness, resistant to edge wear |
Suitable for surgical knives, dental tools |
Corrosion resistance (medium) |
Lower than 316L and 304, but better than ordinary carbon steel |
Surface passivation, PVD coating or chrome plating is required |
Machinability |
Easy to machine and polish |
Suitable for precision surgical instruments |
Magnetic |
Magnetic |
Medical tools suitable for MRI needs |
420 stainless steel is suitable for medical devices that have short-term contact with the human body and do not require long-term corrosion resistance, such as surgical blades, scissors, dental tools, etc., while 316L or higher grade materials are recommended for implants or devices that have long-term contact with body fluids.
IV. DSM 420 stainless steel advantages
DSM is one of the global suppliers of 420 stainless steel. With advanced smelting, heat treatment and precision processing technologies, it provides high-quality stainless steel materials in the fields of medical devices, knives, industrial equipment, etc.
1. Precision heat treatment technology
By optimizing the quenching + tempering process, 420 stainless steel can achieve a high hardness of HRC50-58, while also having good toughness.
2. Excellent surface treatment technology
Provide surface optimization processes such as electrolytic polishing, PVD coating (TiN, TiCN), and passivation treatment to improve corrosion resistance and wear resistance.
3. Strict quality control
Through strict quality inspections such as metallographic analysis, ultrasonic flaw detection, hardness testing, and corrosion testing, ensure that the products meet the high requirements of customers.
V. DSM's market competitiveness
- Customized production: Provide 420 stainless steel with different hardness, surface treatment and size specifications to meet the manufacturing needs of different medical devices.
- Global supply chain: DSM products are exported to Europe, America, Japan, South Korea and other countries, and have a competitive advantage in the medical device market.
- Technical support and cooperation: Provide material development, application consulting and technical support to help medical companies optimize product performance.
In short, if you are interested in the application of DSM's 420 stainless steel in the medical industry, please contact us directly and we will give you the fastest feedback.
