Norman Noble to Open Process Development Center in Florida

Norman Noble Inc. plans to open a new process development center in Naples, Fla. The new facility, dubbed the “5-Axis Micro Milling and Turning Process Development Center South” (PDC South), doubles the company’s capacity for manufacturing orthopedic implant and device prototypes and represents a strategic expansion geographically for the Highland Heights, Ohio-based firm, according to company officials.

The facility, which is slated to open in April, will be outfitted with Swiss turning and five-axis vertical milling machines with a primary focus on orthopedic screw and plate manufacturing.

According to a press release from Norman Noble, the new facility will focus “special, but not exclusive, attention” on customers located in the Southern United States and on parts that can be manufactured entirely on a Swiss turning or five-axis vertical milling machine without also requiring ancillary finishing such as wire electrical discharge machining or laser cutting. In addition to its core Swiss turning and five-axis vertical milling functions, the PDC South operation will house laser marking, finishing and inspection equipment as well as a programming office.

Once process development for a part is completed at PDC South, Norman Noble will complete validation activities and mass manufacturing at its full-scale production facilities in Highland Heights.

Norman Noble process development centers support customers with ultra-precision micromachining of medical devices from initial prototype through all stages of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to full-scale manufacturing.

PDC South expands the company’s network of process development centers and supports a higher volume of new projects that can be run concurrently, the company claims. The company’s process development centers provide prototype-manufacturing services in dedicated departments for each manufacturing method; design and testing services; design-for-manufacturability services; access to machining and finishing technologies especially projects involving exotic materials, including nitinol, magnesium, and bioresorbable materials; and process validation services and quality engineering support.

Established 69 years ago, Norman Noble is a family-owned and -operated company. In addition to manufacturing facilities in Highland Heights, the company also has a manufacturing site in Cleveland.