en.Wedoany.com Reported - Advanced Grinding Solutions (AGS) has delivered a GPA Innova Dlyte polishing machine to Implants International. AGS is based in Coventry, and the buyer is a bioengineering enterprise headquartered in Thornaby-on-Tees, specializing in arthroplasty, trauma, and spinal implants.
The polishing machine will be used to produce Implants International's ROTOglide artificial toe joint. The cobalt-chromium articulating surfaces of this implant require an extremely high mirror finish. ROTOglide was originally designed by Implants International together with Professor Hakon Kofoed, launched in Denmark in 1998, and remains the world's only three-component artificial mobile-bearing toe joint.
ROTOglide is used to treat Hallux Rigidus, an arthritic condition affecting the big toe joint, with clinical symptoms including pain, stiffness, and restricted movement, which may reduce patient mobility and alter the natural distribution of foot pressure. As a cementless, non-hinged surface replacement arthroplasty implant, ROTOglide is designed to mimic the natural torsion and range of motion of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint, restoring anatomical movement while preserving as much original bone stock as possible. This performance relies on highly polished articulating surfaces, making surface finishing a critical manufacturing step.
The market for first MTP joint replacement is substantial. In developed countries, approximately 2.5% of adults over 50 are affected by Hallux Rigidus, and around 400,000 patients seek treatment annually in the United States alone. The poor track record of early implant designs has meant that many patients with severe symptoms still undergo joint fusion surgery, while Implants International states that the ROTOglide design has remained unchanged through more than 25 years of use, with its long-term outcomes well validated.
The Dlyte polishing system is used across multiple industrial sectors, with medical device manufacturing being one of the most significant. Unlike conventional polishing methods, the Dlyte process achieves a highly polished, uniform finish across the entire surface while preserving the component's original geometry, can handle complex shapes without producing micro-scratches, and delivers a mirror finish in a single operation. The technology is based on GPA Innova's patented DryLyte process, the world's first dry electropolishing method that replaces liquid electrolyte with a solid medium.
The process has been verified as biocompatible and non-cytotoxic, making it suitable for the production of medical devices that must comply with stringent regulatory and safety standards. In terms of performance, DryLyte can reduce surface roughness by more than 80%, whereas conventional liquid electropolishing typically achieves reductions of less than 50% and is prone to surface defects such as pitting and orange peel. The process uses no hazardous chemical solutions and generates no hazardous waste, offering environmental and occupational safety advantages. Depending on the material and the pre-polishing surface condition, the Dlyte system can ultimately achieve a surface finish of 0.05 µm Ra or better.
AGS recommended the Dlyte 10L HF system after completing an application assessment. This model features a working space of 140 mm in diameter and 75 mm in height, allowing multiple ROTOglide implants to be processed simultaneously; the machine measures 820 mm in length and 675 mm in width, occupying a small footprint. Among the larger Dlyte series models, the Dlyte Pro500 can polish up to 24 artificial knee implants in a single batch.
During the equipment introduction process, AGS worked closely with Implants International and GPA Innova's application engineering team in Barcelona to complete process validation before production commenced. Most of the development work was carried out by Implants International's engineers, who also handled the equipment installation themselves. Since entering production earlier this year, the system has consistently met the stringent surface finish requirements for ROTOglide implants.
GPA Innova is headquartered in Barcelona, developed and patented the DryLyte process in 2016, and has since expanded its operations to the United States, Hong Kong, China, Mexico, and Poland, with representation in the UK by AGS. AGS will showcase medical components produced using the Dlyte polishing system, along with other advanced manufacturing technologies, at the Medical Technology Ireland exhibition in Galway on September 23-24, at booth 49.
