CO2-assisted machining of biocompatible polymer materials

Efficient machining of biocompatible materials is key in the medical implant industry. Medical implants are components that have to be manufactured to tight tolerances with specific requirements regarding the surface quality and cleanliness of the components. The application of novel cooling methods has been the subject of active research in both academia and industry. Supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) is one of the media that have been used to provide cooling in the cutting zone and assist in the evacuation of chips. This paper investigates the effect of scCO2 in machining of polymer materials used as medical implants. The effect of cutting parameters and coolant medium application on the resulting surface roughness is investigated on Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE).