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BY REGINALD TUCKER iran ium a nd a lumi nium anodizi ng can be devilish ly tric ky finishing processes, with pinchtight tole rances and very little wiggle room for error or guesswork. But at Danco Anodizi ng, finishing is more t h a n a complex array of processes-it's a veritable arr form . This novel approach underscores the driving phi losophy at Da nco ("It isn't finished unril it's finished "). Sounds a litrle redu ndant, but it 's a n important mindser t hat is particularly evidenr in th e company's core cusromer marketmed ical devices, ins t rumen ts , and implanrs-where pre-process, surface preparation, and final finishi ng are of the utmost importance. Since its beginnings in California in 1971 , Danco has been dedicated and commirred ro providing the highest level of cusromer service throughout all its business endeavors. "\Ve spend a lot of time on concurrenr engineering, and we work closely with cusromers ro develop a finish that will fill their needs ," said Dean Zenrz, vice presidenr of operations at the company's Warsaw, Ind., faciliry. "Pre-process is absolutely critical for both Danco and our customers." So important is the pre-process stage t hat Dance's knowledgeable personnel provide clienrs with in-depth technical assistance prior ro finish application. T his incl udes tak ing time ro ed ucate cusromers on the vario us facrors th at dictate the use of a particular finis hing technique. For example, a par ticular component's service environmenr, the rype of alloy urilized, various physical arrribures and aesthetic qualities, and, of course, costs, all come inro play. Case in poinr: Some pans specifications call for Danco's standard aluminum anodizing services (Type II). Regarded as the most common and costeffective anodizing process, Type II provides excellenr abrasion and corrosion resistance. Then there are situations that warranr "hard anodizing" (or Type III). These coatings, which are equal ro hard chrome plating in terms of hard ness , accept black dyes well and provide excellenr wear resis ta nce and heat d issipat ion . For more cusro mized a pplicatio ns , www.metalfinishing.com
particularly those that and you can always counr on Danco to enrail titani um-anodized prodget it done. That's why we go ucts used most often in colorthrough them as opposed to someone else." coded orthopedics, Danco employs While Danca generally proprietary processes. Danco's exclusive works wirh NuVasive's subconIntegrated Color Conrrol tractors, there are occasions where (ICC) system , for instance, dealing one on one with the clienr is required . "If we need prororypes very quickprovides the precise color consisly we'll go direcrly ro tency cusromers crave. Via the use Danco-and that's where of automatic conrrols, the ICC they prove ro be most valuSystem eliminates the "human error" able," Donahoe explained . facror and sight limitations, thereby "Wo rking closely either with producing pans that consistenrly pass color comparisons, according Dean [Zenrz] or Jeff Schm ucker (Titanium Planr Manager, Warsaw) , ro Danco. For the cusro mers, we're able to get parts th is means fewer rejected pan s turned arou nd in a and headaches, and less day." Donahoe also lost time. likes the fact that Equa lly critical to the application of these fin- Danca provides finishing services for K2M, Danco offers laser Inc., a supplier of implants for spinal ishes-if not more so-is etching in-house and fusion procedu res. Note t he color-coded can do chrome coatthe emphasis Danco parts , which serve as a guide for surgeons. places on cleaning and ing. Another satisfied cusromer is K2M, pretreatment. Pan of the pre-process Inc., a Leesburg, Va.-based supplier of phase involves selecting a preparation technique designed specifically for a implanrs for spinal fusion that has been pan's end use. In illustration: for medical outsourcing its finishing work ro Danco and denral rool applications, where silky for about five years. As Chrisropher smooth surfaces are required, Danco may Straight, K2M 's Direcror of Product Development, notes, when you 're prep pans via polishing. Likewise, other parts enrailing differenr aesthetic/perforresponsible for providing surgeons with the rools they need ro treat the most mance considerations may require graincomplex spinal pathologies, the disciing , blasting, or even a combination of various textures. Bottom line: Wharever pline and care that goes inro the finish of those rools and pans req ui res extreme the challe nge, Danco can ha ndle it. arrenrion ro detail. CUSTOMER FOCUS "Dance is extremely helpful ro us, providi ng titani um anodizing on o ur Im peccab ly prepared and finis hed pans aside, Danco also boasts perhaps the implants and some ins tr uments ," most important attrib utes of all: responsiveness ro cusAT A GLANCE romer requiremenrs, atten rion Danco Anodizing (Warsaw branch) ro detail, and flexibiliry. These 2450 Deelyn Drive are all reasons why cusromers Warsaw, IN 46580 like Ryan Donahoe, Associate Owners: David Tatge, Ross Tiamson, Sher ri Engineering Manager for cerScherer, LisaTatge vical , NuVasive , lnc. , a San Diego, Calif.-based spinal Vice president of operations, Warsaw: Dean Zentz medical device designer, keep Plant size: 33,000 square feet coming back. Employees : 85 "Dance is focused on doing Tel. (574) 269 -5900 everything possible within Fax: (574) 269 -5966 their power ro help you meet Additional locations: Arcadia, Santa Ana, and projecr goals-especially when Ontario, Calif. t ha t goal means meeting a surgery dat e," Don ah oe sai d. www.danco.net "T hey always come th rou gh ,
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October 2009 I metalfinishing I 29
FINISHERS' profile 0
CAPABIUTIES & CERTIFICATIONS • Polishing. graining. blasting tumbling • Aluminum anodizing (Type II)Standard; (Type III) Hard • Titanium Anodizing (DPPS5358 Color; AMS2488 Type 2) • Electropo lishing. pass ivation, chemical films , teflon coati ng • High-volume finisher of medical parts and implants • Full-color imaging. "Deep Image" graphics, Ste ri-graph ics • Laser ma rking. engraving. screen printing • Liquid penetrant inspection, magnetic parti cle inspection • Low-friction chrome coating (LFC) • ANAB Accredited, ISO 9001:2000 Certified 1 • WBE-certified (Women's Business Ent erprise) 2 • NADCAP certified 3
Among Danco's alum inum anodizing services: Type II, which provides excellent abrasion and corrosion resistance, and Type III, or "hard anodizing." which is equal to hard chrome plating in terms of hardness. Type III anodizing also accepts black dyes well and offers excellent wear resistance and heat dissipation .
Danco offers computer-controlled laser marking. engraving. and screen printing services if requested by the customer.
Straight said. K2M is particularly happy with Dance's co lor-matc h ing capabilities. "T hey send us color sam ples that we can compare with our intern al sta ndard pantone colo rs so th at we can see whi ch ones best match. T hey can also do Deep Image'' color ing on alu mi n u m . A go od example is the modification Danc o made 30 I metalfinishing I October 2009
always seem to have so methi ng new to sho w you."
For more infor mation on Dan co Anodizi ng, please visit www.danco.net.
REFERENCES 1. D ET Norsk e Veritas Man agem ent
Syst em Cert ificate No. 2 1525-2008AQ-USA-ANAB cert ifies that Danco Ano dizi ng ha s been found to con for m to th e Managem ent Syst em Standard , ISO 9001 :2000. 2. Women 's Business Enterprise Nati on al Council in partnership wit h Michi gan 's Women 's Busin ess Co u ncil certifies t hat th e crite ria for certifica tio n as a \Vomen's Busin ess Ente rpr ise (WBE) has been met (Certificati on No. 2005 111994.) 3. Cert ifica te. No. 128076 awa rded to Danc e Metal Surfacin g, 44 La Porte St. , Arcadia , Ca lif., in acco rd ance with SAE Aerospace Standard AS7003 by th e au tho rity o f th e Nadcap Managem ent Co u nci l. This
to get different tints on th e alu mi n um for ou r instrument cases and sterilization cases." Dance 's st reng ths don 't end th ere. The com pany em ploys an intricate system for retaining de tailed records for long-term tr aceability (in case doctors need to follow th e h istory o f a particul ar patient's implant). And when it MAIN SUPPLIER PARTNERS comes to enviro n me n ta l co mAir Applications (environmental equipment) pliance, Danco is equally di sciBasic Chemical (chemical supplier) plined. Wh ether it 's dili gent ClariantJReliant (aluminum dyes) fum e scru bbing o r wastewater Heritage (solids waste removal) treatment, th e company "goes abo ve and beyond," as Zentz Turner Tech (pretreatment processing equipnotes. In fact, he mak es it a ment) po int to note that Danco has Univar (chemical supplier) received numerous awards fro m the EPA, AQMD and cert ifica te dem onst rate co n for mance Sanitation Districts for waste m in imi zaand recogni tio n of accr editation fo r tion and em ission reductions. specific serv ices, as list ed in With Danco operating at an alread y www.eAud itNet.com on th e high level, one wo uld th ink th ere's not Qualified Manufacturer 's List that m uch room for growth or expan(Q M L), to th e revision in effect at sion. How ever, that is not th e case here. th e time o f th e au dit fo r "che mical After all, it was the escalating cu stomer pro cessin g." demand that sp ur red th e cons truction of 4. Full Co lo r Deep Image Processin g: Danc e 's Warsaw plant to begin with. This exclusive Dan co technique can (T he company al so recen tl y ad de d rep rod uce an y full color picture o r ch ro me plating-low fricti on chromegraph ic with all of its shadi ngs in based on client request s.) No surprise, near photo-qu ality resolution. th en, that Zentz reports Danc e 's Warsaw Brilliant col or s, ra ng ing from su b tle facility expects to soo n earn NADC AP to bold, can be faith fully an odized accreditation, putting it on par with its into a lon g-lasting, wear-resistant Arcad ia, Calif., facility (see sid ebar) and pr oduct . In man y ins tances, th e opening up opportunities to aggr essively product 's "exclusivity" and sa lespursu e aero space fini shing wo rk . appea l is en hanced, and it 's perceived All thi s is welcomed news to Dance's value is incre ased. clients. As K2M's Straight puts ir: "T hey
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