Bricon Technology excels in medtech industry with help of Swiss-type lathes from Tornos

June 3, 2021

10:53 AM

Germany-based Bricon Technology (Bricon) possesses several decades of experience in high-precision CNC machining for mechanical engineering and industrial applications. Some years ago, the company began serving the medical technology (medtech) industry and has since undergone tremendous growth. Swiss-type lathes from Tornos have contributed considerably to this growth.

Bricon is located in Tuttlingen, a town commonly referred to as ‘the centre of medtech’ and home to some 400 companies in the industry. The company was established in 1984 and initially developed, manufactured and distributed numbering machines. However, after just one year, it entered the field of CNC machining and focused on the production of sophisticated individual and serial parts for mechanical engineering, tool and mould making, and aerospace. Innovative processes, maximum precision and absolute quality control (QC) are factors that have seen the company become a favoured partner in the aerospace industry.

The strict requirements of this industry have been the gauges used by Bricon to hone its manufacturing expertise. Indeed, it is these requirements that have allowed for the realisation of individual parts and entire assemblies for the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) telescope in the Chilean Atacama Desert and that are still manufactured today. As highlighted by Serdar Demir, head of production at Bricon: “We have the confidence to tackle projects others do not.”

Turning technology for medtech

Bricon entered the CNC turning arena in 2005 as part of its strategic growth plan. The company invested in two Tornos DECO 13 machines and straightaway they proved their worth, since the share of small turned parts in the business rapidly increased.

High-precision manufacturing is as of vital importance in medtech as it is in aerospace. It therefore made sense for Bricon to target this industry, which it set out to do in 1993. The company’s high level of process expertise has been a major selling point in medtech. It prides itself in being able to offer customers all-encompassing solutions, boasting core competencies that include development, engineering, documentation, prototyping, testing, serial production, product refinement, quality assurance (QA) and packaging. Medtech customers are provided with comprehensive advice and integrated solutions that are configured in close collaboration with them.

The two DECO 13 machines had reached full capacity by 2019, so Bricon invested in four more machines from Tornos, namely two Swiss GT 26 machines and two Swiss GT 26B machines, the latter featuring a B axis. Commenting on the decision to purchase these machines, Demir said: “On the one hand, the machine concept was absolutely convincing. In contrast with competing products, the Swiss GT 26B machines are provided with a B axis that is supported at the top and at the bottom, and this makes them much sturdier. This innovative B axis design comprises 2 x 4 driven spindles with speeds of up to 9,000 rpm. The last driven position is modular and can be equipped with a thread whirling attachment. Furthermore, a stationary tool block can be installed.

“On the other hand, our employees had a big say in this decision and they clearly favoured the Tornos machines. The positive experience with the DECO 13 machines as well as their user-friendly interface certainly played a major role. The machine set-up can be changed in no time at all and the TISIS programming software is very easy to operate.”

Sedar Demir, head of production at Bricon Technology, demonstrated the user-friendly interface on a Tornos Swiss G26 machine. He has been impressed by the efficiency of Tornos machines.

A sophisticated range of components

Set-up times are a crucial factor for producing thousands of parts in a large number of variants. In most cases, the average batch sizes are between 50 and 500 parts, with tolerances of less than 4 μm. Here, the benefits of the Swiss GT 26 and Swiss GT 26B machines can be fully appreciated.

All four machines are equipped with a thread-whirling unit, a high-pressure system and a high-frequency spindle that can reach speeds of up to 80,000 rpm. They are used to manufacture poly-axial and mono-axial pedicle screws that can be used for a wide range of indications if they are cannulated and laterally fenestrated. If these screws are used together with appropriate plates and implants, an excellent surface clamping effect between the screw head and the rod clip or eccentric disk of the lumbar or sacral plates is achieved. This ensures an optimum and stable fixation. The design of the screws, with large thread flanks and a self-cutting thread, allows for their precise and simple positioning. The materials processed range from high alloy steels to titanium, polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and other challenging materials.

Further growth on the agenda

Bricon places significant emphasis on process reliability by using a production process that is traceable and that monitors and documents the required accuracy right down to the micron. This guarantees the translation of customers’ concepts into optimised serial products of consistently high quality. The company has invested heavily in process reliability, including in nine high-quality Zeiss measuring machines and a comprehensive quality management system (QMS) that has been certified in accordance with all national and international standards.

Bricon is increasingly recognised for offering its customers real added value through high levels of cost effectiveness and optimum clinical results. The course is therefore set for continued growth, and investment in more Swiss GT machines is expected in the near future.

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