Specialists from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) have created software for 3D printing heads of hip endoprostheses, allowing the combination of two metals — cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy and stainless steel. The new technology manages the selective laser melting process in accordance with the digital model of the product.
The development solves the problem of homogeneous prostheses: the outer zone of the head requires hardness and wear resistance, while the inner zone requires plasticity.
Using a combination of materials, engineers can change the mechanical properties of the prosthesis depending on the patient's anatomy, weight, and level of physical activity.
We are used to choosing a material from a catalog first, and then making a part from it. Now it is possible to develop the material itself, taking into account the parameters of a specific part and its operating conditions.
The software allows you to visualize layer-by-layer construction and adjust the design even before printing. During the process, the system controls the laser power and scanning speed, which reduces the risk of pores and microcracks at the metal boundary, ensuring the monolithicity of the product.
Read materials on the topic:
- "Life without barriers": "Ortokosmos" showed modern prostheses at the exhibition "Hope for Technology"
- Technologies, prostheses and even a robot: the Russian company "Modesta" showed its developments in the field of prosthetics
- Four medical simulators were presented by SamSU at the forum "Hope for Technology"
