We complete almost all manufacturing processes within our facilities which means that “No compromise on quality of the instruments in any criteria”. Following are some of the processes that are completed within the manufacturing plants.

MANUFACTURING PROCESSES:-

Steel:

The first and foremost step is selection of quality stainless steel to give best basis for a quality instrument. We use high grade steel as per international required standards for surgical instruments manufacturing. All stainless steel compositions are tested in laboratory before we sent it for forging process.

Forging:
The Company has its own forging section where Forgings for proper instruments/devices are made through Drop Forging Hammers by qualified & skilled workers using Dyes made of the best-quality D-2 Steel. The forgings later are put through the process of overall / ring trimming, and acid cleaning / pickling by those well versed in these processes.

Inspection:

After forging process and before sending it's for annealing, a visual inspection of forged instruments is made to ensure that forged instruments are as per desired pattern and measurements.

Annealing:

Forged surgical instruments are then annealed in vacuum furnaces. These furnaces are typically batch-furnaces where batches of forged instruments are annealed under vacuum to prevent corrosion. Annealing is a process which makes Stainless Steel soft for machining. This is a slow process where forged pieces are heated to a predetermined temperature and later allowed to cool down very slowly over a period of time. The cool down stage sometimes take more than 10 hours based on the type of material. When annealed properly, the grain structure of Stainless Steel grows to a larger size which allows for easy machining and makes it ductile for forming, shaping, and sizing in the later stages.

Milling/Machining:
Our Milling / Machining section have best quality and imported Milling/Grinding Machines which are operated by the well-trained experts for good milling of the Scissors, ratchets, serration teeth, box cutting, and for all other related processes for ensuring exact perfection before filing. For this, top-quality imported cutters are used. The process of filing is carried out again by the trained professionals to ensure high standard of exactitude and precision.

1’’ Grinding:

Once the products are milled and machined, they are next grinded using high speed medium-coarse grinding wheels and belts. This process is used to remove any excess material left in the forging process and also to size the instruments as per the required tolerances and make it ready for filing process.

Filling:

Once raw shape of the instruments is defined by coarse grinding, highly skilled technicians take the adjoining pieces of instruments and set them together. At this stage, the final shape of the instrument immerges and is bound together using screws or rivets in case of forceps and scissors. The serrations, ratchets, and teeth are also aligned and straightened in this step to form the perfect fit. This process is used for getting accurate size, design, weight and pattern of instrument. After filling instruments are inspected according to measurement of the semi finished instruments / master sample for consistency in measurements. This is one of the most important aspects of handcraftsmanship as it requires years of training before technicians are allowed to work independently.

Inspection:

After filling instruments are once again inspected for defects in running lots to identify and take corrective actions accordingly.

Heat Treatment:

Instruments when sized and set for perfect fit are then heat treated in highly sophisticated furnaces. Heat-Treatment furnaces can either be continuous (belt operated) or batch depending on the volume and size of the instruments. Typically this process is carried in an inert environment (Nitrogen or Argon gas filled) to avoid oxidation and corrosion of final product. This process is used to harden the annealed instruments as per the final requirements. This is also an important step as the hardness of the instruments must be within a few degrees. Excessive hardening causes the instruments to break in operation and lower than permitted hardness prohibits proper operation / cutting of instruments.

Hardness Test:

After annealing as well as heat-treatment, the instruments are tested using diamond tipped rockwell hardness test fixtures to ensure proper hardness of instruments. Skillco Star quality control team send instruments to independent testing institutes as well to validate the results.

2’’ Grinding:

Hardened instruments are next grinded (using fine and extra fine wheels and belts) to remove deep scratches from the medium-coarse grinding/sizing in the previous stages. This step is also used to size the product as per the requirements. Typical tolerances of ± 2 millimeters are achieved at this stage of processing.

Electro Polishing:

After 2’’ grinding instruments are then electro polished which is a process of smothering the surface anodically of instruments in required chemical solution and gives a shiny look which also removes burs from instruments.

1’’ Polishing:

When instruments get electro polished, they are moved to polishing section where Skillco Star experienced workers gives the finish shape to instrument and make it smoother through use of different polishing equipments.

Passivation:
Using the top-quality imported chemical in our Passivation Department we passivate and boil test each and every instrument before packing, subjecting every piece to 24-hour treatment, and if need to be re-passivation process so as to eliminate any chances of rusting / Corrosion etc.

Sand Blasting:

After passivation the polished instruments are transferred to sand blasting unit where the joint, teeth and ratchet of instruments are sand blasted to give them matt look and protect from corrosion while usage. Sand blasting is effective for removing light or dark spots over instruments surface.

Alignment and inspection:

Alignment is a process where instruments are adjusted in terms of teeth, ratchet, box joints, and movement in order to give perfect functionality to instrument while intended use. During this stage any instrument that does not pass the initial QC is sent back to an earlier step depending on the corrective action.

2’’ Polishing:

After alignment and inspection process all the instruments are polished as per the final requirements either to a mirror polish, satin or sand finish.

Ultrasonic Cleaning:

Once an instrument gets to this stage, it is primarily a finished product and is next subjected to deep cleansing and decreasing of oils and finishing materials in water or chemical based ultrasonic cleaning machines before sending it for final inspection.

Final Inspection:

After final cleaning / decreasing, instruments are thoroughly hand-examined with microscope and tested by a highly qualified team of QC inspectors. Each and every aspect of an instrument is examined including serrations, ratchets, jaws, and teeth while testing the cutting, grasping, moving functions.

Stamping/Etching:
The Stamping / Etching process is carried out by the soundly trained experts to match the world standards. All the instrument that are approved by the final inspection department and then we can also provide our clients require logo or products code in the instruments, if applicable.

Packaging

Instruments are then packed in polythene bags and thermal labeled with item name, code, description, and batch / lot number to give maximum information to consumer while usage.

Delivery:

According to the nature of the shipment.