Method for producing a medical instrument by way of an additive method

Abstract

A method for producing a medical instrument, includes producing, by cutting material from a semi-finished product, a shaft including a clamping region and at least part of a head including cutting edges; additively generating at least part of the head of the instrument; performing the additively generating with a rotation axis of the instrument aligned vertically; reworking at least part of the head with a subtractive method; and using the subtractive method to perform at least one chosen from sharpening cutting edges and improving concentric running of the instrument.

Claims

1. A method for producing a medical instrument, comprising: producing, by cutting material from a semi-finished product, a shaft including a clamping region and at least part of a head including cutting edges, additively generating at least part of the head of the instrument; performing the additively generating with a rotation axis of the instrument aligned vertically; reworking at least part of the head with a subtractive method; using the subtractive method to perform at least one chosen from sharpening cutting edges and improving concentric running of the instrument.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the additively generating is performed using a selective laser application method, a selective laser sintering method or an electron beam welding method.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least the additively generated part of the instrument is made of steel, ceramic, hard metal, titanium, titanium alloy or plastic.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the subtractive method is at least one chosen from a laser ablation method and a cutting method.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instrument is at least one chosen from a dental drill, a milling cutter, a grinding instrument, a sonic tip and a saw blade.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instrument is a dental instrument.

Description

(1) The invention is described below on the basis of an illustrative embodiment and with reference to the drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a semi-finished product to be used,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a production step in the production of a shaft,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a completed additive medical instrument in the form of a drill or milling cutter,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a micrograph of the typical structure of drawn steel with subsequent heat treatment, and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a micrograph of a material generated by an additive laser fusion method.

(7) FIG. 1 shows, as starting material for a combined production method, a semi-finished product 1 in the form of a cylindrical pin or wire.

(8) In a next work step, the semi-finished product is machined to cut away material, so as to generate a shaft 2 with a clamping region 3 and with a neck 4. This intermediate product is then completed by means of an additive method in which material is applied in layers to generate a head 5 provided with cutting edges.

(9) If necessary, the cutting edges can be sharpened by means of a subtractive method, for example by laser ablation.

(10) FIGS. 4 and 5 show micrographs allowing a comparison between a conventionally generated material and a material generated by means of an additive method.

(11) The micrograph shown in FIG. 4 is that of a conventionally produced material which has the typical structure of drawn steel with subsequent heat treatment. The carbides arranged lengthwise in the martensitic matrix can be clearly seen.

(12) FIG. 5, by contrast, shows a micrograph of a material generated by means of an additive laser fusion method. The micrograph clearly shows a coarse, martensitic structure with fine carbide dispersions, which have no particular arrangement. In additively produced workpieces, it proves advantageous that these do not form hardening cracks, as is the case in conventionally generated workpieces.