Glebar Company, Ramsey, NJ -Research shows that unhealthy habits and sedentary lifestyles, augmented by the COVID19 pandemic, will increase chronic medical conditions and related surgeries. As a result, the market for surgical guidewires is expected to be valued at $2.19 billion by 2027. To meet the increasing demand, manufacturers will need efficient processes that maintain high standards of quality.
Glebar has provided grinding solutions to guidewire manufacturers for over 50 years. Building on that legacy, they have designed a new solution. By integrating automation into their micro grinder, it enables manufacturers of single taper guidewires to reduce setup times, increase throughput, and maintain tighter tolerances.
The solution centers around their TF9D Automated Centerless Thrufeed/Infeed Micro grinder and Glebar Standalone Automatic Feeding System, GFS. The TF9D can be paired with the GFS which automatically picks wires from a bin, loads them into the micro grinder, and unloads finished parts. The GFS can feed any Glebar Precision Grinder or other OEM machines.
“During grinding, the TF9D automatically stages the next part and unloads the finished part,” explained John Bannayan, CTO at Glebar. “In testing, a 5” single tapered wire ran at 10 se conds per piece, which included loading, grinding, and unloading.”
Glebar works as a one-stop provider delivering not only grinding solutions but also automation integration. Due to the reliability of the automation and grinder performance, typical Glebar installations have one operator running three or more machines.
Their micro grinder uses an 85/8” wide work wheel, the widest on the market for this size machine. The wider wheel enables manufacturers to grind longer tapers each pass. Comparable micro grinding machines for single taper guidewires require multiple setups to generate similar tapers. Variability in the manual setup procedure affects the accuracy and potential output. Once in production, the TF-9D shapes up to 7.8” per cycle while maintaining quality and repeatability.
The intuitive touchscreen HMI makes setups and changeovers fast and easy. Operators can program multiple setups for quick retrieval, reducing setup times. The upper and lower slides can be adjusted independently to 0.1 micron resolution using the HMI. This provides greater consistency and predictability when positioning the regulating wheel and sizing the work rest blade. The automatic dressing sequence for both the regulating and work wheel can also be programmed from the HMI, ensuring a clean grind throughout production.
The TF-9D also features an enclosure in compliance with CE requirements and maintains a clean work environment. Interlock capability ensures operator safety.
Glebar pioneered the process of grinding guide wires in the 1960s and has been innovating solutions for the medical industry since then. For more information on their guidewire and medical grinding solutions, visit the applications library on their website. To learn more about the TF-9D, read the case study, watch the video, or email [email protected].
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Glebar Company (www.www.glebar.com) is an innovative, vertically integrated, process improvement company that designs and configures its standard platform of modular precision centerless grinding and electrochemical machine systems to provide turnkey, custom solutions for its customers. The company focuses on delivering a process to its customers while maximizing customer return on investment. Founded in 1952, Glebar serves companies all over the world, across many market segments including medical, industrial, aerospace, automotive, consumer goods, and mining. Its machines are known for their precision, longevity, flexibility, and efficiency.
Glebar machines are made to the highest quality and safety standards. Every machine is backed by a 24/7 customer service operation which includes a team of technicians, design engineers, and customer service representatives. The company also stocks stand-by inventory of critical parts and tooling for next-day delivery in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. It employs a dedicated applications team conducting research and development activities, customer process enhancement, and pushing the limits of grinding wheel technology. Glebar is an ISO 9001:2015 Certified Company and is ITAR Registered.
In 2020 Glebar Company acquired Electrochemical Grinding (ECG) technology solutions leaders Tridex Technology and Everite Machine Products. Both companies offer innovative turnkey manufacturing solutions designed to improve cycle times, maintain quality levels, and allow operators to easily set up and run multiple machines.
For more information about Glebar, call (201)-337-1500, visit www.www.glebar.com or send an email to [email protected].
