Anodizing is one of the steps that many titanium medical parts have to go through
The types of anodization
This can be of two types. The difference lies in the contribution of material or only in the superficial coloring of the part itself.
What is the first type of anodization?
The first type, called colored oxidation (type III), is a process in which components are immersed in a tank, in which an electric current passes, the voltage of which combined with the predetermined time will determine the final color. This process alters the surface molecular structure of the titanium of which the component is made of.
What is the second type of anodizing?
The second type of process, called hard to thickness oxidation (type II), uses different acids that allow the hardening (as well as the coloring) of a surface layer of the component.
This second treatment also allows to increase the mechanical resistance of the part.
But why are medical components that will be implanted in the hand body colored?
It is certainly not an aesthetic treatment.
The role of color is mainly that of a “code”. Without having to read the component data, the expert user already knows which component to select starting from their color.