Alloys & Materials

Special tasks need special tools

There are various other alloys and materials which are used to produce micro surgical instruments for research with each having certain properties that would be advantageous in particular environments or applications. Stainless steel is the most common alloy and it does exactly what its name implies: stains less than ordinary steel (iron).

Besides of that, there are special alloys used for some unique tools for particular procedures that may be ergonomic and overall helpful for your studies and/or protocols are made of. The benefits of these alloys are described in the table below.

	ToughCut® Scissors Black handles Last approx. 1.9x longer than stainless steel Is welded onto the cutting edges of scissors, tips of forceps and needles holders Available instruments: bone cutters, scissors,forceps, needles, needle holders, burrs ToughCut® scissors feature two unique cutting edges that cut through the toughest tissue with exceptional ease and accuracy. One blade is honed to razor sharpness, and the other is micro-serrated to minimize tissue slippage during cutting.
	Tungsten Carbide Instruments Golden handles (short gold plating) Last approx. 2.3x longer than stainless steel One cutting edge has micro serrations to minimize tissue slippage One cutting edge has increased sharpness (cutting edge with a 30° instead of 15° angle) Tungsten carbide is one of the hardest alloys available and lasts almost two times longer than stainless steel. Tip inlays are either glued or welded into place. For needle holders, tips can be made with a pyramid cross pattern that holds suture needles much more securely. Compare the extra cost of these instruments with the length of useful wear, and you have a cost effective solution for your instrument requirements.
	Tungsten Carbide & ToughCut® Scissors Golden handles (long gold plating) Last approx. 4.1x longer than stainless steel One cutting edge has micro serrations to minimize tissue slippage One cutting edge has increased sharpness (cutting edge with a 30° instead of 15° angle)
	CeramaCut® Scissors Golden handles and black coating Last approx. 6.6x longer than stainless steel Cutting edges with Tungsten Carbide and ToughCut® plus ceramic coating Ceramic is one of the hardest materials on earth Reduced glare One of the hardest materials on Earth, ceramic is used in surgical instruments to form edges that last longer than stainless steel and even longer than tungsten carbide. Ceramic also has a high slide capacity which reduces surface tension and results in a much cleaner cut than metal instruments.
	Ceramic Instruments Ceramic coating Last approx. 2.3x longer than stainless steel Ceramic is one of the hardest materials on earth Reduced glare Available instruments: Dumont forceps, spring scissors
	Titanium Instruments Approx. 40% lighter than stainless steel Softer alloy than stainless steel Corrosion resistance (cannot rust) Non-Magnetic High temperature resistance up to 440 °C / 824 °F Available instruments: scissors, forceps, probes, hooks, spatula, vascular clamps Elemental titanium (Ti) is a very strong, lustrous, white metal with a specific gravity of 4.54. Titanium and titanium alloys readily form stable protective surface layers, giving them excellent corrosion resistance to saltwater, laboratory saline solutions, blood and other bodily fluids, oxidizing acids, alkalis and chlorides. Titanium is 100% nonmagnetic; a great benefit when working with nerves. Its inherent surface oxide film provides bactericidal and non-allergenic properties. Titanium alloys can be heated up to 440 °C (824 °F).