Arthroscopic Shavers – Outer Sleeve | Glebar GT-610
Challenge
Grind two mating metal components with tight surface-to-surface clearance to create a powered arthroscopic shaver for orthopedic joint surgery.
Process
In this application, two tubes are assembled with as small a gap between the two parts as possible, sometimes as small as 0.0005”, so that the inner tube moves freely inside the outer tube without allowing debris to get caught between the surfaces. The tips of the tubes typically have a rounded guiding surface, and the outer tube has a window cut in it to expose the inner tube’s sharp edges, both of which are difficult to manufacture in volume.
For the outer sleeve, a Glebar GT‐610 Thrufeed Grinder grinds the blank tubes’ OD, maintaining a surface finish of 3‐6 RMS and a comfortable 2‐3 Cpk on the part’s outside diameter. The process easily met a material removal of 0.005” and a tolerance requirement of +/‐ 0.0005” in a fully automated turnkey process.
To infeed grind the shape of the inner tube, using the Glebar GT‐610‐CNC, Glebar was able to maintain a +/‐ 0.0002” tolerance on the tip dimensions. View the full GT-610-CNC Case Study and Video.
Contact an EngineerSolution: Glebar GT-610 Infeed/Thrufeed Centerless Grinder
The Glebar GT-610 Infeed/Thrufeed Precision Centerless Grinder features a compact design that provides high horsepower, high rigidity, and superior slide positioning. Customizable controls integrate full turnkey automation, including feeders, robots, pick-and-place gantry, automatic gauging, cleaning, and pass/fail sorting assemblies. The rigid design excels at grinding PCD Diamond, and metals such as steel, carbide, titanium, and composite materials. Common applications include aerospace fasteners, arthroscopic shavers, transmission bushings, small hard metal components, and more.
