Medical device manufacturers know the importance of precision and repeatability perhaps more than any other industry.
Today’s surgical instruments, implantable components, and diagnostic equipment demand exceptionally complex machined parts produced to specification in every way, every single time. Because in some cases, the complex parts we machine go on to be used in life-saving procedures.
That’s why at Twin City EDM, we’ve always built our operation around achieving and maintaining the highest precision standards, in accordance with ISO 13485:2016 certification.
Whether it’s a prototype part, 100 parts in a first production batch, or 10,000 parts several runs down the line, we have the technology and quality control processes in place to ensure all specifications are met without fail.
Medical Machining Takes Precision and Consistency to a New Level
Many of our medical-grade components are machined from materials like 316L,17-4,455 or 465 stainless steel, titanium alloys, cobalt-chrome, and high-performance plastics such as PEEK. Our customers specify these materials for their biocompatibility and durability, but they also present real challenges in machining.
The downside: some of these materials are prone to work hardening, while others are notoriously difficult to hold to precise dimensions. Getting consistent results requires more than capable equipment. It requires deep process knowledge and a team that has solved these problems before.
That’s where experience matters. Our machinists understand how these materials behave, how to program tool paths that maintain dimensional accuracy across a full production run, and how to set up fixturing that makes every part feature precisely repeatable.
From Print to Production: We Work With You to Optimize Manufacturability
One of the most common challenges medical device companies face is receiving a design that’s technically correct on paper but difficult or expensive to manufacture at scale. Small changes upstream can have a significant impact on cost, lead time, and part quality downstream.
Twin City EDM offers design for manufacturability (DFM) support as part of our process. When you bring us a print or a 3D model, our team reviews it with a machinist’s eye. We look at features that may be difficult to hold in tolerance, internal radii that could be tightened up without affecting function, surface finishes that require extra operations, and tolerances that may be tighter than the application actually demands.
Smart decisions translate cleanly into a scalable production process down the line. Getting DFM input at the prototype stage can save significant time and money before you’re committed to a design.
Scalable Precision: Prototypes Through High-Volume Production
A lot of competent machine shops can make a single prototype while holding high-precision standards. The real test is whether they can hold that same quality when you’re ordering hundreds or thousands of parts per run. At Twin City EDM, we’re set up for both.
Our machining capabilities include the latest full fifth axis Swiss turning, full 5 axis CNC milling, multi spindle turning with milling, wire EDM, and sinker EDM, Laser welding and laser marking. Sinker EDM is particularly valuable in medical applications because it can produce extremely fine features, sharp internal corners, and complex geometries that are difficult or impossible to achieve through conventional machining alone. Combined with our CNC turning and milling capabilities, we can handle a wide range of component types under one roof.
Keeping production in-house gives us direct control over quality at every step. We maintain tight process documentation, perform in-process inspection, and provide the traceability that medical device manufacturers need for regulatory compliance.
American Manufacturing That Medical Device Makers Can Count On
It’s no secret that supply chain reliability has become a critical concern for medical device companies over the past several years. Sourcing precision components from overseas only makes matters worse by introducing lead time uncertainty, communication challenges, and quality risks that are hard to manage when your production schedule has no flexibility.
Proudly based in Minnesota since 1959, Twin City EDM offers the advantage of specialized U.S. medical device machining. Working with us means shorter lead times, clearer communication, and a manufacturing partner who understands the regulatory environment you’re operating in.
If you’re developing a new medical device or looking for a more reliable source for components you’re already producing, we’re standing by with the capacity to scale your project as you need.
