Development and manufacturing of primary, revision and tumor endoprostheses using investment casting, machining and additive manufacturing.
implantcast GmbH
Buxtehude (DE)New on Amplifa
About implantcast
implantcast GmbH is a specialized medical technology company based in Buxtehude near Hamburg that has been developing, producing, sterile packaging and distributing primary, revision and tumor endoprostheses since 1988. In robot-assisted investment casting (lost-wax process), 300,000 high-precision components made from CoCrMo alloys are produced annually, which are heat-treated and X-ray inspected after casting. In machining, more than 100 employees produce 230,000 implants per year, partly fully automated, on more than 50 CNC machining machines from titanium, CoCrMo and stainless steel alloys as well as polyethylene. Since 2014, additive manufacturing using the EBM process (Electron Beam Melting) has complemented the process portfolio and enables complex, patient-specific geometries. As an OEM partner of renowned orthopedic companies, the company also supplies hospitals and exports to over 80 countries. With more than 920 employees, development, production, finishing, silver and ceramic coating, sterile packaging, quality assurance and sales are all bundled under one roof in Germany.
- Site
- Buxtehude
- Processes
- Investment casting (lost-wax process), Machining (CNC machining, partly fully automated), Additive manufacturing EBM (Electron Beam Melting), Heat treatment (of investment casting components after casting), X-ray inspection (inspection of cast components), Quality assurance (manual measurement to fully automatic 3D coordinate measurement), Finishing: grinding and polishing (mostly manual), Coating (including antibacterial silver coating, ceramic coating)
- Materials
- CoCrMo casting alloy (implavit), CoCrMo wrought alloy (implavit), Pure titanium (cpTi), Grade 1 ELI to 4B, TiAl6V4 (implatan), TiAl6Nb7 (implatan), UHMWPE (polyethylene, ultra-high molecular weight), Cross-linked UHMWPE (implacross), Cross-linked UHMWPE, vitamin E-stabilized (implacross E)
- Certificates
- CE certification (medical devices), ISO 9001, QMS according to national/international requirements (Notified Body)
- Founded
- 1988
- Employees
- over 920
- Industries
- Medical Technology, Orthopedic Endoprosthetics, Hospitals, OEM Partner for Orthopedic Companies, Orthopedic Endoprosthetics (Primary, Revision and Tumor Endoprostheses)
- 01
Research & Development
- 02
Investment Casting (Lost-Wax Process)
- 03
Heat Treatment
- 04
X-ray Inspection
- 05
Machining (CNC)
- 06
Additive Manufacturing (EBM)
- 07
Finishing (Grinding, Polishing)
- 08
Coating (Silver, Ceramic)
- 09
Quality Assurance
- 10
Sterile Packaging
- 11
Sales and Logistics
Materials and Processes
CoCrMo casting alloy (implavit)
Cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy cast using the lost-wax process for endoprosthesis components.
CoCrMo wrought alloy (implavit)
Forgeable cobalt-chromium alloy for surgical implants.
Pure titanium cpTi, Grade 1 ELI to 4B (implatan)
Unalloyed titanium, among other things for shoulder endoprosthesis components.
TiAl6V4 (implatan)
Titanium alloy for milled and turned implant components.
TiAl6Nb7 (implatan)
Vanadium-free wrought titanium alloy for implants.
UHMWPE
Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene for bearing partners in joint endoprostheses.
Cross-linked UHMWPE (implacross)
Cross-linked polyethylene to reduce wear.
Cross-linked UHMWPE, vitamin E-stabilized (implacross E)
Vitamin-E-stabilized variant for improved long-term stability.
Stainless steel alloys
For machined implant components and instruments.
PEEK Optima
High-performance polymer, among other things for locking mechanisms of the MUTARS system.
Locations
Buxtehude
DEHeadquarters with development, production, sterile packaging, sales and logistics
- Lot size
- Investment casting up to 300,000 components/year; machining 230,000
- Materials
- CoCrMo, titanium, stainless steel, UHMWPE
- Robot-assisted investment casting system (lost-wax process)
- More than 50 CNC machining machines
- EBM systems for additive manufacturing (since 2014, powder layer approx. 50 µm)
- Grinding robots
- Fully automatic 3D coordinate measuring machines
Buxtehude – Logistics Center
DELogistics center for exports to over 80 countries
Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Investment casting (lost-wax process)Casting | – | – | – | 300,000 components/year robot-assisted | CoCrMo (implavit) |
| Machining (CNC machining, partly fully automated)Machining | – | – | – | 230,000 implants/year | Titanium alloys, CoCrMo, Stainless steel alloys, Polyethylene (UHMWPE) |
| Additive manufacturing EBM (Electron Beam Melting)Additive | – | – | – | – | Titanium, TiAl6V4 |
| Heat treatment (of investment casting components after casting)Heat Treatment | – | – | – | – | CoCrMo |
| X-ray inspection (inspection of cast components)Inspection | – | – | – | – | – |
| Quality assurance (manual measurement to fully automatic 3D coordinate measurement)Inspection | – | – | – | over 820,000 products/year | – |
| Finishing: grinding and polishing (mostly manual)Surface | – | – | – | – | CoCrMo, Titanium |
| Coating (including antibacterial silver coating, ceramic coating)Surface | – | – | – | – | CoCrMo, Titanium |
| Research & Development (implants, minimally invasive instruments)Engineering | – | – | – | – | – |
5 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machining machines | – | über 50 | – | – | Buxtehude |
| EBM systems (Electron Beam Melting, additive manufacturing) | – | – | Powder layer approx. 50 µm | seit 2014 | Buxtehude |
| Grinding robots (surface treatment) | – | – | – | 1999 | Buxtehude |
| Robot-assisted investment casting system (lost-wax process) | – | – | – | – | Buxtehude |
| 3D coordinate measuring machines (fully automatic) | – | – | – | – | Buxtehude |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
More than 40 employees in quality assurance inspect more than 820,000 products per year – from manual measurement to fully automatic 3D coordinate measurement. Cast components are X-ray inspected; microstructure examinations and test specimen testing ensure compliance with national and international standards.
| Evidence | Buxtehude |
|---|---|
| CE certification (medical devices) | |
| ISO 9001 | |
| QMS according to national/international requirements (Notified Body) |
History
- 1988
Foundation of implantcast Feinguss GmbH by Wolfgang Petroll on 01.10. at the technology center in Buxtehude; 10 employees.
- 1989
Development and sale of the BSTR Tumor system; production of dental alloys and cast endoprostheses.
- 1990
Takeover of the company by Wilfried Mohr.
- 1992
Development and first implantation of the MUTARS proximal femur tumor system.
- 1996
Jens Saß becomes Managing Director (01.01.).
- 1997
CE certification.
- 1999
Relocation to the site at Lüneburger Schanze 26, Buxtehude; first grinding robots for surface treatment.
- 2001
Renamed implantcast GmbH.
- 2002
Inauguration of CNC production; patenting of the silver coating.
- 2004
Establishment of the sites implantcast Polska and implantcast Italia; trademark protection for the alloys IMPLATAN and IMPLAVIT.
- 2008
Establishment of the branch implantcast Turkey; production expanded by 1,700 m².
- 2009
Production area reaches 4,837 m²; distributor network in over 45 countries; more than 220 employees.
- 2012
Opening of the 2,400 m² CNC production facility; distributor network in over 50 countries; seven international subsidiaries.
- 2014
Introduction of additive manufacturing (EBM).
- 2024/2025
Construction of a logistics center for exports to over 80 countries; workforce grown to over 920 employees.