This is how customer expectations become reality.

Approximately 2.4 million knee endoprostheses are produced annually on Haas Multigrind® CB and Multigrind® CA grinding machines. This makes Haas Schleifmaschinen GmbH by some distance the market leader. Now, the high-tech grinding machine manufacturer Haas from Trossingen has made its ultra-compact Multigrind® CU fit for the series production of complex posterior stabilizing knee implants (PS). ‘Our new ultra compact Multigrind® CU machine is very cost effective and affordable solution for many customers in the medical technology sector without sacrificing the great advantages of automated production.

Marie-Sophie Maier-Wember, Managing Director of Haas Schleifmaschinen, comments: "As market leader, we have a great responsibility towards our customers. Not only do they expect us to continue to develop our cutting-edge technology, but they are also looking for new significant savings opportunities in the production process. Customer requirements are our highest priority and motivate us not to remain at the status quo".

“We shoot ourselves in the knee”

"This quote from the conversation with Marie-Sophie Maier-Wember cannot be meant seriously, so we have the background for this development explained in detail again: “With the improvement of living standards on a global base, especially in Asia, South America and other developing countries, the demand of knee replacement is increasing. If we do not respond to this with significantly more efficiency, there is a risk that we will jeopardize our undisputed leading position in the market. At the same time a close partnership with our existing and new customers is very important to us, which is why it is our pleasure to share our new developments with our customers. We have made our compact Multigrind® CU fit for the big task

Competitive advantages to calculate:

Lower Capital investment costs: The compact Haas Multigrind® CU differs in design from the Multigrind® CB and the Multigrind® CA without sacrificing precision and performance. Haas' own interpretation of the classic gantry design: The C axis is at the bottom instead of at the top. It moves the A-axis, the machine table and the easily accessible tool changer underneath. The result: maximum precision, solid stability, few turning movements and significantly shorter process times (30 m / min in rapid traverse). This results in higher productivity, especially in the production of complex femoral implants.

Total Manufacturing Time: If all factors such as programming, set-up time, machining times, tool costs and space requirements are taken into account, the new process on the compact Multigrind® CU is obviously worthwhile. This perfect interaction is unique in the market and makes the difference: innovative clamping solutions, 3D simulation of workpiece and machining cycles via Multigrind® Styx, the compact high-tech grinding machine Multigrind® CU, the special Application software Multigrind® Horizon designed for the product and the individual automation solution. This excellence can only be obtained from the market leader Haas Schleifmaschinen.

Because space is money: The Haas Multigrind® CU is ultra-compact and takes up only 5.12 square meters of space. Front operation, back panel maintenance - the Multigrind® CU is easy to place in a row. Ideal for high volume production in the smallest of spaces, automated - parallel or in sequence operations. Two Multigrind® CUs can be placed on the footprint of a Multigrind® CB.

When and where is the new grinding process on the compact Multigrind® CU worthwhile?

On a Multigrind® CB grinding machine, 2 knee implants can be manufactured together in double clamping. This production method is ideally suited for the series production of simple knee implants without box processing and this will not change in the near future. Knee joints without box are implanted in patients with functioning cruciate ligaments.

In the event of a cruciate ligament tear or second surgery, the rotation of the knee joint must be stabilized. The PS knee implant or box implant is used in these cases. The trend is evident: more and more highly complex PS knee implants are being manufactured on Haas grinding machines. In automated production, in one setup, the ratio of grinding time to milling time has changed. Depending on the Knee design, we speak of half grinding times compared to additional box milling times. With one or more Multigrind® CU, part costs in a single operation setup, can be significantly reduced.

"For complex free-form surfaces, our technology is the market leader"

Marie-Sophie Maier-Wember comments: "Implant manufacturers are constantly developing their knee implants further. Every medical technician wants more and more complex features and this has consequences. Interest in free-form surfaces with variable radii and specific micro- and macrostructures is increasing, and machining is becoming more demanding and more complicated. Up to 70% of manufacturing costs are due to the complex design. We offer our customers the freedom to produce the desired dimensional, shape and surface features, using economical production methods. Our customers benefit from the increase in quality, efficiency and service life of the implants, but also especially the patients.

But Marie-Sophie Maier-Wember has even more news for implant manufacturers: "There is another development of which we are very proud: We will be presenting our customers with another process technology, so that in future they will be able to completely eliminate manual reworking in the production of box knee implants".

New: The finish in the box is no longer left to manual secondary processes.

According to the current state of the art, the necessary finish of the plane-parallel side walls of the knee implant cannot be produced within an economically efficient process sequence. The associated manual work caused an insufficient, non-repeatable quality and considerable additional costs.

This is exactly where the cooperation between Haas Schleifmaschinen and the University of Applied Sciences Magdeburg-Stendal comes in: Together we worked on the project to establish a machining process to machine the box in finishing quality. The plane-parallelism of the sidewalls has increased many times over and the dimensional and shape quality has been optimized. The function of the artificial knee joint, in terms of durability, load capacity and wear, is significantly improved. With this new machining process, the PS knee implant is nearly completely manufactured and only need to get the final cosmetic touches with a drag finishing process and surface polishing.

For the medical technology sector a visit to Haas Schleifmaschinen doubly worthwhile.