Machine
Design Magazine 10/19/2000
MIM
AWARDS OF DISTINCTION
A
disposable assembly of scissors blades, clevis, and actuator for endoscopic
Metzenbaum surgical scissors won the second MIM award of distinction. The
17-4PH stainless steel parts come from FloMet LLC, DeLand, Fla. They replaced
blades previously machined from 303 stainless steel.
The
scissors are used during minimally invasive cardiac, general, and
plastic/reconstructive surgery. They have minimum yield and ultimate tensile
strengths of 140,000 and 155,000 psi, respectively, and density on the order of
7.5 gm/cm3.
Developers
say their biggest challenge was in getting the proper geometry for blade
curvature. The blades must have the correct preload against each other and
maintain single-point contact throughout their length. The blades are curved in
pairs by FloMet and then sharpened by the OEM, Genzyme Surgical Products,
Genzyme Corp., Tucker, Ga.
