Patent ID: 7892071

Claim:
A method of reducing the surface roughness of an articulating surface of an orthopaedic implant, said implant comprising of a carbide phase portion and a matrix phase portion, said method comprising: providing an abrasive particle; providing a chemical including at least one of an oxidant, a corrosion inhibitor, a complexing agent and a surfactant; combining the chemical with the abrasive particle to form a liquid slurry; and polishing an arcuate portion of the implant with the slurry to; (i) etch the carbide phase portion of the arcuate portion with the slurry, and (ii) mechanically remove the matrix phase portion from the arcuate portion with the slurry, wherein the etching step of removing the carbide phase portion is processed at a rate equal to or greater than the mechanical rate of removing the matrix phase portion.