Masks for Orthopedic Devices
Manufacturers of orthopedic prostheses engage in manufacturing processes that often require masking materials for temporary surface protection. Components such as hip joints, knees, bone plates, and spinal implants contain both highly polished surfaces and rough, coated surfaces. Protection of one surface is always needed during the processing of the other. The delineation between these surfaces must be absolute. The masking material must provide flawless performance from edge to edge, and component to component.
Similar to aerospace and power generation industries, orthopedic prostheses manufacturers typically rely on traditional masking materials that include tapes and re-useable boots. The protection provided by these materials can be somewhat inconsistent, which has a direct impact on component rework and scrap. Boots tend to loosen over time, and tape edges can become compromised from aggressive grit blasting processes. Upon removal, tapes can also leave adhesive residue on surfaces that requires additional cleaning.
An alternative to traditional masking materials and methods is now available from Panacol-USA. Highly resilient masking materials incorporating UV light curable technology are offered for temporary surface protection of orthopedic devices. They are formulated to withstand high velocity impact of organic media, glass bead, and aluminum oxide. The UV masks’ resiliency and strong adhesion prevents edge lift, which preserves the integrity of the surface being protected. Panacol-USA UV masking materials can be easily dispensed on surfaces by manual methods or with automated dispensing systems. Once dispensed, the liquid masking material is cured (hardened) in seconds using a UV light source. This dramatically reduces labor time, and allows masking to be incorporated as an in-line process for continuous production flow.

Panacol-USA’s masking materials are being used as protections for parts of orthopedic devices
UV curing equipment:
UV system solutions with Panacol uv adhesives and innovative curing systems from Honle
Panacol-USA UV masking materials for orthopedics are designed for removal by peel. The peeling process can be accelerated by incorporating a quick hot water dip/rinse prior to peel. Elevating the temperature of UV peelable masks causes them to become more elastic and easier to remove. No residue is left behind, which is critically important in orthopedic component manufacture. Multiple viscosities of each mask are available to accommodate various dispense methods which can include dip, spray, or hand application. The masks are offered with a color additive to provide surface contrast for better visibility of coverage during dispensing and removal.
View the orthopedic component masking materials listed below for a possible candidate for your application. Please contact Panacol-USA to confirm your product selection and to secure additional application assistance, including samples and process recommendations. In the event that these standard products do not satisfactorily address your performance requirements, Panacol-USA will investigate other solutions that include development of masking material specifically tailored to the complexity of your application.
Masking material | Application | Viscosity [mPas] | Base | Curing* | Properties |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vitralit® MASK 20102 |
UV mask for metal finishing sandblasting mask wet acid stripping masks for orthopedic devices |
7,000-15,000 | acrylate |
UV VIS |
shear thinning elastic fast curing easy handling pink color |
Vitralit® MASK 20102-G |
UV mask for metal finishing sandblasting mask wet acid stripping masks for orthopedic devices |
60,000-90,000 | acrylate |
UV VIS |
flexible fast curing easy handling green color |
Vitralit® MASK 20104 |
UV mask for metal finishing sandblasting mask masks for orthopedic devices |
14,000-17,000 | acrylate |
UV VIS |
thixotropic fast curing easy handling green color |
Vitralit® MASK 20107 |
UV mask for metal finishing sandblasting mask masks for orthopedic devices |
40,000-60,000 | acrylate |
UV VIS |
shear thinning fast curing easy handling green color |
*UV = 320 - 390 nm VIS = 405 nm
To download the technical datasheets (TDS) please click on the adhesive name.