How an Osteotome Is Made

Primary process: Investment Casting. The full route, materials, tolerances and design tips for an osteotome, with an indicative cost.

Investment CastingPrimary process
CastingFamily
8Route steps
+/-0.2mmTypical tol.

An osteotome is primarily made by Investment Casting. Investment casting builds a wax pattern, coats it in a ceramic shell, melts the wax out, then pours metal into the cavity. It gives near-net shape with fine detail. Below is the full route to make an osteotome, the materials it suits, the tolerances to expect and the main design points. The route is free, from the finder.

Step by step

How an osteotome is made

The usual route, raw material to finished part. The amber step is where the osteotome gets its basic shape.

  1. Material

    Cut martensitic stainless bar (420 or 410 grade) sized for the osteotome.
  2. Investment Casting

    Form the blank.
    Tooling Medium to high   Tolerance ±0.1 to 0.5mm   Lead 3 to 8 weeks
  3. Trimming

    Trim the flash and pierce the rings, bows or finger holes.
  4. Milling the pattern

    Mill the shank and working end, and cut the serrations, teeth, ratchet or cutting edge.
    Tooling None   Tolerance ±0.125mm, to ±0.025mm   Lead 1 to 10 days
  5. Heat treatment

    Harden and temper the working ends for wear resistance and spring.
    Tooling n/a   Tolerance can distort   Lead days
  6. Grinding and polishing

    Grind the profile and satin or mirror polish the osteotome.
    Tooling Low (wheel)   Tolerance ±0.002 to 0.02mm   Lead days
  7. Passivation

    Passivate or electropolish to restore the corrosion-resistant chromium-oxide layer.
    Tooling Low   Tolerance removes microns   Lead days
  8. Marking and inspection

    Laser-mark, ultrasonic clean, then inspect the action, alignment, sharpness and finish.

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Precision

Tolerances to expect

TYPICAL TOLERANCE IT CAN HOLD
+/-0.2mm typicalcoarsefine+/-1mm+/-0.1mm+/-0.01mm+/-0.005mm
Where this process typically lands. Tighter is possible with extra operations like grinding, at higher cost.
Materials

Materials for an osteotome

GradeWhy it suits this
Stainless 17-4PH / 316Strong, corrosion resistant
Carbon/alloy steelStrong, cheaper
Superalloy (Inconel)High-temp
Design

Design tips

General pointers. The full design-for-manufacturing list for an osteotome is in the dossier.

  • Isolated heavy sections. Core out or add feeders.
  • Tight tolerance left as-cast. Add a machining stock face.
Cost

What an osteotome should cost

Near-net and great finish, so it saves machining on complex parts; the wax die is the cost to amortise.

PER-PART COST vs VOLUME
one-offat volumeVolume per order, low to highCost per part
Per-part cost drops as volume spreads tooling and setup over more parts. The exact figures for an osteotome at your volume, in your currency, are in the dossier.
MODEL EST.
$360 to 1005 per part at 1 off
A rough ballpark only. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency, with the full breakdown.
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Everything you need to quote and source it

The free route above is yours. To actually put a number on an osteotome and buy it well:

  • Should-cost at your exact volume in 12 currencies, with the material, processing, tooling and overhead breakdown
  • Who to source from, typical MOQ and lead time, and the exact RFQ checklist to send
  • A quote checker that tells you if a supplier quote is fair, and the red flags to watch
  • The full DFM list and a ready-to-send RFQ draft

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See also: How Investment Casting works and the full route for an osteotome in the finder.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How is an osteotome made?
An osteotome is primarily made by investment casting. The route is: Material; Investment Casting; Trimming; Milling the pattern; Heat treatment; Grinding and polishing; Passivation; Marking and inspection.
What does an osteotome cost?
It depends on size, tolerance and volume. As a rough ballpark it starts around $360 to 1005 per part at 1 off and falls with quantity. The dossier gives should-cost at your exact volume and currency. A model estimate, not a quote.
What material is an osteotome made from?
Common choices are Stainless 17-4PH / 316; Carbon/alloy steel; Superalloy (Inconel).
What is the main process for an osteotome?
Investment Casting. Complex, detailed metal parts needing a good finish and tight tolerances, including superalloys and turbine hardware.
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