Tribological Review of Medical Implants Manufactured by Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) applications are taking up the challenges of engineering manufacturing, as AM technology sets give extensive advantages in terms of designing, analysis and part printing. Now, we find extensive applications in the medical field because one can print a medical implant as per individual patient’s match, which provides better comfort to the patient, and it uses material that suits the human body. Medical implants have complex shapes, need extensive customiation and have different tribological properties at different locations. Conventional manufacturing processes and materials are not able to take this challenge. AM technologies can easily print different types of materials as per the printing capability of 3D printing machines. The need is to study the medical implants’ tribological properties, with better part durability, when made through AM and improve patient comfort. The study is carried out with the help of the available literature on the different materials used in 3D printing. This study is a review-based work, where we try to identify the tribological behaviour of different materials as used for various medical applications. We have explored new and upcoming materials to help medical professionals for better applications. 3D printed medical implants provide accuracy as per the requirement of medical applications. Tribological properties like wear and friction are inherent with materials. This study discusses some tribological behaviour of different materials in the context of medical applications. Today, replacement arthroplasty is a common medical procedure, and joint replacement is clinically feasible. Thus, the biotribology of total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty is also discussed in the chapter. Implants are commercially available for medical applications, but they are not customized. Today, AM technologies are readily available to design and manufacture different materials as per individual requirements. They play an effective role in developing medical implants with different materials, processes and designs. Many materials have high-performance properties with excellent compressive tensile and bending strengths. These implant materials are used successfully to manufacture artificial knee joints, bone implants and other medical applications. It is found that 3D printed implants have lesser wear depth as compared to traditionally manufactured implants. Further, the area of prosthetics for rehabilitation needs extensive research and development.