Non-stick coatings are crucial to the medical industry – but how does the coating bond to the machined component?

The essence of a non-stick coating is just that – it stops other materials, including aggressive medical products, from adhering to it. But that presents a problem – how to get the same coating to key on to the machined component, be it a guide, mould, roller, blade or plate. The best non-stick coatings are relatively soft, and they are easily damaged or peeled off the substrate – long before their potential life against a sticky medical product has been realised. Poeton have solved the problem with a revolutionary new coating range called Apticote 810. It combines two Poeton technologies, their extensive range of non-stick polymers (Apticote 200) and their advanced Apticote 800 thermal spraying capability. By blending the two, with a graded structure from the substrate through to the working surface, they achieve a robust substrate bond, a tough, high load carrying capacity coating and the optimum non-stick. 'The system gives our products a huge advantage,' says Trevor Amos. 'We can tailor the polymer composition to the application, whilst blending it into a ceramic matrix. Some medical products are very sticky, but soft. Others need a degree of non-stick, but are abrasive, particularly when flowing into moulds. Each demands a different Apticote 810 blend. For example, by designing the right coatings for medical packaging machines, we have increased the life of sealing bars by ten fold and the life of medical rollers by four fold. It saves our customers money and down-time.' Also, by using only approved materials, the Apticote 810 coatings are all compliant with the Code of Federal Regulations CFR21, covering their use against medical products. Finally, Poeton provide a wide range of other coatings for use in the medical industry, for reducing wear, friction or corrosion – not just non-stick. Follow this link for more details.