Swiss CNC Machining for Medical Components
High-precision Swiss-type turning for surgical instruments, orthopedic implants, minimally invasive device components, and diagnostic hardware — built to the tolerances your designs demand, backed by IATF 16949 and AS9100D certified production.
Precision at the Micro Scale
Medical components demand tolerances and surface qualities that conventional lathes cannot reliably sustain. Swiss-type turning — originally developed for Swiss watchmaking — positions the cutting tool within millimeters of the guide bushing, virtually eliminating deflection on long, slender workpieces.
For bone screws, cannulated pins, catheter shaft components, and endoscopic instruments, this translates into dimensional repeatability across high-volume production lots — critical when patient safety depends on every part meeting spec.
- Guide bushing support enables ±0.005mm over long length-to-diameter ratios
- Single-setup complete machining — turning, milling, drilling, threading in one cycle
- CITIZEN A20 / A16 / BNC40, Tsugami B206 — 63+ Swiss-type machines in fleet
- IATF 16949:2016 and AS9100D certified with APQP, PFMEA, PPAP, SPC disciplines
- Full lot-level material traceability with XRF spectrometer verification at incoming
What We Machine
From Ø0.5mm micro-diameter bone anchor bodies to Ø120mm instrument housings on our larger bar-feed turning centers, our Swiss capacity covers the full spectrum of medical turned components — prototypes through high-volume production under the same IATF 16949-backed quality management system.
Ti-6Al-4V ELI, 316LVM, Co-Cr-Mo, and other medical-grade alloys are machined and verified by XRF spectrometer at incoming inspection. Lot documentation — CoC, MTR, FAIR, dimensional report, surface finish certificate — ships with every lot.
- Bone screws (cortical, cancellous, cannulated, locking) — Ti-6Al-4V ELI and 316LVM
- Surgical instrument shafts, trocars, cannula bodies, needle bodies
- Catheter tip components, guidewire fittings, diagnostic contact pins
- Diameter range Ø0.5mm to Ø150mm, lengths to 300mm+ in Swiss mode
- Thread whirling, cross-hole drilling, live-tool milling in a single cycle
Medical Components We Produce
Swiss-type turning is particularly well-suited for small-diameter, high-aspect-ratio medical parts. The following component categories represent our core medical machining output, matched to our equipment capabilities.
Bone Screws & Orthopedic Fasteners
Cortical, cancellous, cannulated, and locking screw bodies; pedicle screw shanks; interference screws — machined complete in a single Swiss-type cycle. Threads cut or whirled to precise pitch and form.
Surgical Instrument Shafts & Bodies
Trocar tip bodies, cannula tubes, needle driver inserts, laparoscopic grasper jaw components, and endoscopic shaft sections — small diameters with long reach, ideal for Swiss guide-bushing support.
Catheter Shaft & Guidewire Components
Micro-diameter tip components, hypotube fittings, mandrel bodies, and assembly hubs for catheter and guidewire assemblies. Tight OD concentricity for smooth tracking performance.
Dental Implant Abutments & Fixtures
Tapered implant bodies, abutment shafts, and prosthetic components in titanium alloy. Precision thread geometry for rated insertion torque and reproducible prosthetic retention force.
Diagnostic Device Connectors & Contacts
Precision electrode contacts, sensor housings, POGO-style spring contact pins, and MRI-safe connector bodies for ECG imaging, and point-of-care diagnostic devices.
Orthopedic Pins, Rods & Locking Nails
K-wires, intramedullary nail blanks, threaded Steinmann pins, and spinal fixation rod segments — machined to exact diameter tolerances for consistent fit in fixation systems.
Swiss-Type Machine Fleet
Our medical machining capability is built on a fleet of CITIZEN and Tsugami Swiss-type automatic lathes — the same platforms used by leading medical device contract manufacturers worldwide — supplemented by MAZAK turn-mill centers for secondary milling and complex geometry requirements.
With 63+ Swiss-type machines across both partner facilities, we offer the volume capacity and machine-type diversity to match the right platform to your part geometry — whether that is a Ø1.5mm bone anchor on the CITIZEN A20 or a Ø50mm instrument housing on the BNC40.
CITIZEN A20 — Primary Medical Platform
Core Swiss-type lathe for small-diameter medical turned components. Guide bushing support delivers exceptional straightness and diameter consistency on long length-to-diameter parts.
- Diameter capacityØ0.5–25mm
- Positional tolerance±0.005mm
- AxesMulti-axis with live tooling
CITIZEN A16 — Micro-Diameter
Dedicated micro-diameter capacity for the smallest medical features — POGO contact pins, K-wire blanks, and needle body components below Ø15mm.
- Diameter capacityØ0.5–15mm
- Positional tolerance±0.005mm
- Best forSub-3mm medical pins
CITIZEN BNC40 — Large-Bore Swiss
Extended diameter capacity for instrument housings, modular implant bodies, and diagnostic device components requiring Swiss-quality finish at larger diameters.
- Diameter capacityØ5–120mm
- Best forInstrument housings
Tsugami B206 — High-Volume Production
High-throughput Swiss-type production for volume bone screw, fastener, and pin programs. Fleet enables concurrent multi-part production with consistent quality.
- Diameter capacityØ1–20mm
- Positional tolerance±0.005mm
- Volume strengthHigh-volume ortho fasteners
MAZAK Turn-Mill Centers
Multi-axis turn-mill centers for complex instrument bodies requiring simultaneous turning and milling operations — complete machining in a single setup, fewer datum transfers.
- OperationsTurn + Mill complete
- Best forMulti-feature instrument bodies
CNC Machining Centers
MAZAK VCN430AL and 4-axis/3-axis machining centers for instrument trays, implant plates, bone plates, and multi-face features not suited to bar-fed Swiss-type turning.
- Axes3-axis and 4-axis
- Best forPlates · Trays · Brackets
Why Swiss-Type Turning is the Right Process for Medical Components
Guide bushing eliminates deflection
The cutting tool operates within millimeters of the bushing. On a Ø3mm × 60mm bone screw shank, there is no workpiece deflection — diameter runout and straightness are maintained along the full length.
Complete machining in one setup
Turning, thread cutting, cross-hole drilling, flat milling, and sub-spindle cutoff in a single cycle. Fewer setups means fewer datum shifts and better overall part accuracy for assembled medical devices.
Ø0.5mm minimum — no special fixturing
Our CITIZEN A16 and A20 machines handle sub-millimeter diameters as standard production. Micro contact pins, catheter tip bodies, and dental abutment necks are on-the-shelf capability.
High-volume consistency
With 63+ Swiss-type machines and bar-feed automation, we produce tens of thousands of identical bone screws or pins with Cpk-controlled dimensions and full lot traceability across every run.
Tolerance & Surface Finish Reference
The figures below represent standard production capability on medical-grade materials using CITIZEN and Tsugami Swiss-type lathes under IATF 16949-controlled conditions. Tighter tolerances on critical features are achievable with prior engineering discussion and process validation.
mm standard OD tolerance on Swiss-turned components
±0.003mm on selected features with process qualification
μm surface finish — surgical instrument grade
Ra≤0.2μm after electropolishing for implant surfaces
mm minimum diameter — CITIZEN A16 / A20
Up to Ø150mm on BNC40 and turn-mill centers
mm roundness / cylindricity — Swiss-type turning
Critical for implant thread engagement and concentricity
mm CMM measurement — Mitutoyo CMM verification
FAIR report on every production lot approval
Defect rate target — 100% OTD, 0 major complaints
IATF 16949 KPI tracking per production facility
Medical-Grade Materials
Every material we use for medical components is verified by XRF spectrometer (Seiko SII SEA1000A) at incoming inspection, traced to mill heat numbers. Material selection is driven by biocompatibility, sterilization method compatibility, and mechanical performance under physiological loading cycles.
| Material | Grade / Specification | Key Properties | Typical Medical Application |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Titanium Alloy Implant |
Ti-6Al-4V ELI (ASTM F136) CP Ti Grade 4 (ASTM F67) |
Biocompatible, osseointegration, low elastic modulus, MRI-compatible | Bone screws, dental implants, pedicle screws, K-wires, intramedullary nails |
|
Stainless Steel Instrument |
316LVM (ASTM F138) 303 / 304 / 17-4PH |
Corrosion resistance, sterilization-stable, high fatigue strength | Surgical instruments, trocar bodies, catheter components, housings |
|
Cobalt-Chrome Implant |
Co-Cr-Mo (ASTM F75 / F1537) | Superior wear resistance, fatigue strength, corrosion resistance | Femoral heads, tibial stems, articulating implant surfaces |
|
Aluminum Alloy Instrument |
6061-T6 / 7075-T6 | Lightweight, anodize-ready, good machinability and specific stiffness | Instrument handles, guide block bodies, surgical tool frames |
|
Brass / BeCu |
C360 Free-cutting Brass C17200 BeCu |
Excellent machinability, electrical conductivity, spring fatigue life | Diagnostic connectors, POGO pin bodies, electrode contacts |
|
Nitinol (NiTi) |
ASTM F2063 | Superelastic, shape-memory, biocompatible, kink-resistant | Guidewire cores, vascular device elements, retrieval basket struts |
Surface Finishing Options for Medical Components
Ra≤0.4μm
Passivation (ASTM A967)
Removes free iron and strengthens the natural oxide layer on 316L and 303 stainless steel instruments. Standard for all stainless surgical components.
Ra≤0.2μm
Electropolishing
Electrochemical smoothing that removes surface peaks and reduces micro-crevices. Used on implant surfaces and components requiring ISO 10993 biocompatibility compliance.
Type II / III
Anodizing
Hard coat (Type III) and standard anodize (Type II) for titanium and aluminum components. Type III for wear surfaces; Type II for implant bodies and instrument frames.
Ni + Au
Nickel + Gold Plating
Nickel undercoat with hard gold for diagnostic connector contacts and POGO-style spring pins. Rated contact resistance performance through 500,000+ mating cycles.
EBW / EP
Electron Beam & EP Welding
EBW for hermetic sealing of sensor housings and implantable device enclosures. Electro-precision welding for complex assembly joining operations.
Cleaned
Ultrasonic Cleaning & Packaging
Ultrasonic clean with DI rinse and controlled drying. Desiccant/vacuum packaging with anti-static liners and lot/serial ID labels structured for DHR integration.
Device Categories We Supply
Our Swiss-machined medical components serve the full spectrum of medical device segments — from high-volume implantable orthopedic fasteners to precision diagnostic instrument contacts.
Orthopedic Implants & Fixation
The highest-volume medical machining segment. Bone screws and pins require tight thread geometry, precise tip form, and material traceability to Ti-6Al-4V ELI mill certificates.
- Cortical and cancellous bone screws
- Cannulated screw bodies (guide wire bore)
- Pedicle screw shanks and heads
- Intramedullary nail blanks
- Locking plate screw bodies
Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS)
Laparoscopic, endoscopic, and robotic-assisted devices require long, slender shafts with consistent OD for port compatibility — exactly the geometry Swiss-type turning excels at.
- Trocar tip bodies and cannula shafts
- Laparoscopic grasper jaw inserts
- Endoscopic shaft segments
- Needle driver inserts
- Robotic instrument cable anchors
Dental Implants & Prosthetics
Dental implant bodies and abutment shafts demand precise thread pitch, tip geometry, and surface finish for osseointegration performance and prosthetic retention force.
- Tapered implant fixture bodies
- Abutment shafts and screw bodies
- Ball attachment retainer caps
- Multi-unit abutment components
Cardiovascular & Vascular Devices
Catheter components, guidewire fittings, and vascular access device bodies require micro-diameter precision and consistent concentricity for smooth tracking through anatomy.
- Hypotube connector fittings
- Catheter tip components
- Guidewire mandrel shafts
- Hemostasis valve bodies
Diagnostic & Imaging Equipment
ECG electrode contacts, MRI coil connector bodies, CT scanner component shafts, and point-of-care diagnostic housing components — Swiss-machined to spec and plated to electrical requirements.
- ECG electrode contact pins
- MRI-compatible titanium housings
- Ultrasound transducer mounts
- POGO spring contact pins
Surgical Robotics & Power Tools
Robotic arm joint shafts, surgical drill body components, saw blade arbors, and reamer shafts for powered orthopedic tools. High-precision shaft interfaces for robotic end-effectors.
- Robotic instrument cable guide shafts
- Powered drill body components
- Surgical reamer shaft blanks
- End-effector precision shafts
Quality System for Medical Supply
Our quality management system is built on IATF 16949:2016 and AS9100D — certifications that incorporate all ISO 9001:2015 requirements and add the APQP, PFMEA, PPAP, and SPC disciplines that medical OEM supplier qualification processes look for in a precision machining partner.
Certifications
IATF 16949:2016
Automotive QMS — APQP, PFMEA, PPAP, SPC disciplines directly applicable to medical supplier qualification
AS9100D
Aerospace QMS — traceability, configuration control, and process validation requirements
ISO 10012:2003
Measurement management — all gages and CMM instruments calibrated and traceable to national standards
ISO 14001:2015
Environmental management — controlled handling of titanium chips, cutting fluids, and waste streams
Inspection Equipment
- Mitutoyo CMM — ±0.001mm measurement uncertainty
- Contact profilometer — Ra surface roughness verification per lot
- CCD optical vision system — diameter and feature measurement
- Seiko SII SEA1000A XRF — material grade verification at incoming
- Profiling instrument — thread form and helix angle verification
- Height gauges, micrometers, bore gauges — in-process inspection
- Salt spray cabinet — corrosion resistance validation for stainless
Quality KPIs
- 100% OTD target — on-time delivery tracked per IATF 16949 KPI system
- PPM ≤ 1,000 — defect rate target across all production output
- Customer satisfaction ≥ 90% — measured through structured feedback process
- Zero major complaints — formal CAPA process for any field return or NCR
- 26 active patents — in-house tooling and process innovation record
Documentation Provided with Every Lot
- Certificate of Conformance (CoC) — lot number, quantity, revision, spec confirmation
- Material Test Report (MTR) — mill heat number, chemical composition, mechanical properties
- First Article Inspection Report (FAIR) — all critical dimensions per ballooned drawing
- Dimensional Inspection Report — outgoing CMM or optical measurement data
- Surface Finish Certificate — Ra measurement with profilometer trace
- XRF Material Verification Report — incoming material grade confirmation per lot
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you machine titanium Ti-6Al-4V ELI for implantable components?
Yes. Ti-6Al-4V ELI (ASTM F136) and CP Titanium Grade 4 (ASTM F67) are standard materials in our Swiss-type production. All titanium bar stock is verified by XRF spectrometer at incoming and traced to mill heat certificates. We machine cortical and cancellous bone screws, K-wires, pedicle screw shanks, and dental implant bodies in these grades.
What file formats do you accept for quoting and production?
We accept STEP, IGES, DXF, DWG, and PDF. For Swiss-type parts, a 2D drawing with all tolerances called out — thread class, surface finish requirements, and critical feature dimensions — is required alongside any 3D file. For implant components, include the material ASTM standard and any applicable device design standard references.
Can you support both prototypes and high-volume production?
Yes. Our process starts with prototype runs and FAIR, then transitions to production under the same locked process. Prototype quantities typically ship in 5–10 business days following process planning. High-volume bone screw and pin programs run across our fleet of 63+ Swiss-type machines with bar-feed automation.
What surface finish can you achieve on implant-grade components?
Swiss-type turning on titanium and stainless regularly achieves Ra≤0.8μm as-machined. Post-process options include passivation (ASTM A967) for stainless, electropolishing to Ra≤0.2μm for implant surfaces, and anodizing (Type II or Type III) for titanium and aluminum. Surface finish is measured with a contact profilometer and reported in the lot certificate.
What is your MOQ for bone screws and orthopedic pins?
There is no rigid MOQ. Prototype quantities of 5–50 pieces are common for new development programs. For production runs, economic order quantities typically begin at a few hundred pieces per part number. Contact us with part files, material, finish specification, and estimated annual volume for an accurate quote and lead time.
Do you provide thread form verification for bone screw programs?
Yes. Thread geometry — pitch, helix angle, major/minor diameter, and flank angle — is verified using our profiling instrument against the design specification. For bone screw programs we can also discuss insertion torque and pull-out strength test coordination with your validation team. Go/no-go gauge acceptance is standard on all threaded medical parts.
Can you perform passivation and electropolishing?
Passivation (ASTM A967) and electropolishing are routed to qualified surface finishing partners within our managed supply chain. All finishing work returns with certificates included in the lot package. You receive a single documentation set covering machining dimensions, surface finish verification, and finishing process records.
Do your certifications satisfy medical OEM supplier qualification requirements?
IATF 16949:2016 incorporates all ISO 9001:2015 requirements and adds APQP, PFMEA, PPAP, and SPC disciplines. AS9100D adds traceability and configuration control requirements. Together these certifications satisfy the process control, documentation, and quality system requirements that most medical device OEM supplier qualification audits assess in a precision machining supplier.
Get a Quote for Your Medical Components
Send us your part files and requirements. Our engineering team reviews DFM considerations and responds with a detailed quote — typically within 24–48 hours for standard Swiss-turned medical components.
For new medical programs, include material specification (ASTM grade), surface finish requirements, critical tolerance callouts, and estimated annual volume so we can recommend the right machine platform and quote accurately.