Advanced Finishing Processes for Biomedical Applications

Freeform surfaces have become an inevitable part of biomedical industries to carry out their specific task. Proper finishing of these surfaces is required to meet their high surface characteristics. The biomedical implants (made of biocompatible materials) such as shoulder, knee, ankle, finger, and hip joints require nanofinishing on the mating surfaces for their proper functionality and durability. The finishing of these implants is challenging because of their complex shapes and intricate features. Especially in conventional finishing processes, the rigid tool is used, which is mostly incapable of finishing the inaccessible areas of biomedical implants. Some advanced finishing processes have been developed which use flexible cutting tools to finish the freeform surfaces. These processes are suitable for micro/nanofinishing of biomedical components which enhance operational life as well as product value of the biomedical implants. This chapter discusses some of the advanced finishing processes, their applications, and advantages in biomedical industries.