Armoloy Coatings
Armoloy Coatings
ME-92® Biocompatible Chromium Coating
Biocompatible chrome plating engineered for medical and surgical applications
Medical Coating
Creating More Effective Medical Instruments
Originally introduced for medical manufacturing in the early 1990s, ME-92 remains a dedicated biocompatible chromium option within the Armoloy coating portfolio.
This uniform, thin layer guarantees that part tolerance and balance are maintained without the necessity for subsequent machining, even when dealing with intricate shapes, all while delivering simultaneous benefits regarding protective qualities and performance improvements.
Enhancing Applications Across the Medical Industry Worldwide
Armoloy helps medical professionals protect their high-precision devices and instruments with our biocompatible medical coatings.
ME-92, initially designed for surgical instruments, is the preferred solution for use in lab environments, cleanrooms, and a wide range of medical applications, and it’s also well-suited for food processing equipment. This preference arises from the process’s exceptional cleanliness and minimal exposure to contact materials. ME-92 improves lubrication properties, is chemical resistant, easy to clean, and strengthens metal surfaces for wear and corrosion applications as well. The anti-microbial and hydrophobic nature of ME-92 coating surfaces safeguards against bioburden while withstanding hundreds of autoclave sterilization cycles—without staining or discoloration.
With multi-value attributes and benefits, ME-92 prolongs the lifespan of critical equipment, enhances performance consistency, and effectively eliminates contamination risks. The ME-92 process also offers multiple sheen and color variations to cater to non-reflective applications and meet aesthetic preferences.
Explore Further
Learn More About Medical Coatings:
Performance Characteristics
ME-92 by the Numbers
- Surface hardness up to 72Rc
- Deposit thickness ranging from 0.00004” to 0.001” (1.016 to 25.4 µm)
- Processing temperature < 160°F (<71°C)
- Bond strength of 125,000 PSI
- Corrosion resistance tested to AMS 2438 per ASTM B-117
- Certified biocompatible to ISO 10993-1
- Porosity tested per AMS 2460
- Withstands temperatures of -400°F to 1600°F (-240°C – 870°C)
- Thermal expansion of 2.7 – 4.6 (10¯⁶/°F)
- Up to 56% reduction in coefficient of friction
- Wear resistance less than 1.2 TWI per AMS 2438
Values shown are typical; final results depend on substrate, geometry, and finishing requirements.
Armoloy ME-92 Highlights
- High surface hardness
- Hydrophobic
- Excellent wear resistance
- Absolute adhesion
- Eliminates galling
- Non-magnetic
- Compatible with nearly every base metal type
- Non-reflective, platinum and satin finishes available
- Antimicrobial
Proven applications
Applying ME-92 biocompatible medical coating can improve the long-term performance of applications within the following industries, as well as many others:
- Medical instruments and devices
- Medical packaging
- Surgical tools
- Veterinary surgical tools
- Robotics
- Clean room applications
- Pharmaceutical packaging
- Orthopedic tooling
- Endoscopic cutters
- Dental reamers
- Saws
- Taps
- Drills
- Laboratory environment
- Stamps
- Dies
- Rolls
- Pumps & valves
- Mobile medical devices
- Refurbishment of surgical tools & equipment
Certifications
- SAE AMS2438 Plating, Chromium Thin, Hard, Dense Deposit
- Aerospace Material Specification SAE AMS2406
- Aerospace Material Specification SAE AMS2460 | AMS-QQ-C-320, Chromium Plating (Electrodeposited)
- USP Class VI
- Tripartite/ISO
- Anti-microbial
- Sterilization Procedures Including:
- Steam Autoclave
- STERIS SYSTEM 1
- STERRAD Sterilization
- Gamma X Ray
- Bleach Exposure
- Boiling
- Detergent scrubbing
- STERIS EtO
- Cytotoxicity tested
- Hemolysis tested
- Intracutaneous tested
- Pyrogen tested
- Systemic Toxicity tested
ME-92® Finish Comparison
ME-92® Medical Coating is available in three finishes – satin, non-reflective, and platinum
ME-92 Features & Benefits
Biocompatible
Evaluated for biocompatibility for use in medical devices and instruments, as well as clean-room applications
Absolute adhesion to base material
Maintains cutting edges and provides a hard, scratch resistant, nonstick, easy to clean surface
Hydrophobic
Arrests moisture and water buildup, further enhancing corrosion resistance
Chemical resistant
Compatible with caustic sterilization procedures
Anti-microbial surface
Designed for cleanability; helps reduce buildup of harmful bacteria
Diverse appearances
Three finishes are available to suit your specific application: non-reflective, platinum, and satin
Completely inert
Will not cause or promote change in structure, maintaining component integrity
No sharp edge buildup
Minimizes dimensional change
Improved fatigue life
Hard surface of chromium reduces surface roughness, increasing fatigue life in certain components
Temperature resistant
Chrome coatings perform well at high temperatures, maintaining their protective properties
Low friction
Significantly increases life of rolling and sliding applications
Barrier against base metal allergens
Eliminates patient sensitivity to base metals such as nickel
Additional Metal Treatments
Services at Armoloy
Armoloy is here to provide support for your project, starting from the discovery phase and continuing through a successful production launch. Whether coatings are considered during the initial part design phase or become necessary due to product failures in the field, our team can assist you at any stage in the process.
How Metals Fail
Some of the most common metal failures include:
Armoloy’s different metal coating solutions help industries avoid costly metal failures and unplanned downtime.
Contact Us
Coating for the human body? Let’s explore ME-92 solutions.