Surgical Implants

Cobalt-based alloys have been used in demanding applications for as long as investment casting has been available as an industrial process. The majority of investment castings made from the cobalt super alloys are cast in an open atmosphere.

Cobalt alloys also play an important role in the performance of aero- and land-based gas turbines. While vacuum cast nickel alloys predominate in the hot sections of modern aero turbine engines, cobalt alloys are routinely specified for particularly demanding applications such as fuel nozzles and vanes for industrial gas turbines.

CoCrMo, CoCrMoW, NiCrMo

CoCrMo alloys are widely used for medical prosthetic implant devices. The alloys are especially used where high stiffness or a highly polished and extremely wear-resistant material is required. CoCrMo alloys are the materials of choice for applications such as knee implants, metal-to-metal hip joints and dental prosthetics.

ASTM F75 is a non-magnetic CoCrMo alloy exhibiting high strength, corrosion resistance, and excellent wear resistance. It is widely used for orthopaedic and dental implants. Highly polished components include femoral stems for replacement hips and knee condyles. Other cobalt medical implants include acetabular cups and tibial trays. In all cases, but especially in hip components, material quality is imperative as parts are heavily loaded and subject to fatigue.

CoCr alloy is typically used for:

– Gas turbines

– Orthopaedic implants, knee implants, hip joints

– Dental implants