Reading Alloys Senior Metallurgist Highlights Importance Of Titanium Powders For Medical Applications At APMI West Penn Presentation

The event took place at The Red Fern Banquet and Conference Centre in St Mary’s. Pennsylvania, where Muktesh presented a talk on the topic of Titanium Powders for Medical Applications.

During the talk, Muktesh gave an overview of Reading Alloys’ specialist expertise in the field, as well as details about the processes involved in the production of Titanium powders and alloys. Muktesh explained the key advantages that Titanium powders and alloys offer the medical sector for specialist surgical, dental and cardiovascular applications. Titanium powders can join with bones and tissue to create excellent adhesion and versatile functionality, for example in hip, knee and shoulder joints, rods, bone plates and screws and maxillofacial implants.

Muktesh cited Reading Alloys’ Titanium powders for orthopaedic implants as a fine example of medical industry innovation. The spray coating process provides excellent surface conditions for hip joints, as it enables the bone to grow into it via a process known as osseointegration, which anchors the implant to give long-lasting results.

Titanium powders produced by the company include CP Ti, Magnesium and Sodium reduced Ti sponge, Ti Hydride and Ti 6Al-4V. Titanium is ideal for medical applications, due to its high corrosion resistant to bodily fluids. Other key advantages include its low density and high specific strength. Titanium is resistant to corrosion and has excellent biocompatibility. It is also compatible with MRI and CT technology.

Muktesh also described how master alloys are produced by thermite processes to create more than 60 standard alloy formulations, precisely tailored according to customer specifications. These master alloys are mixed with Titanium Sponge and melted to make various Titanium Alloys by our customers.

“People are living to an older age now and have an increased desire to stay active for longer and maintain a good quality of life. As a consequence, demand has increased for critical medical applications, such as heart valves, hearing aids, hip implants, stents and other implantable devices. We are proud to see our specialist metal powder, tube and strip products – particularly our medical plasma spray coatings – becoming increasingly key in the evolution of devices like these,” commented Muktesh.

APMI International is the umbrella organization for powder metallurgy in the US. Each APMI International Chapter meets regularly to discuss the latest developments in the field of metallurgy and related areas of interest. More information about the West Pennsylvania Chapter of APMI International and its program of monthly technical sessions, industry events and related outings can be found at: https://www.apmiinternational.org/NewsEvents/WestPennChapter.aspx