Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Towards Qualification of Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V (ELI) Medical Implants

  • Technological Innovations in Metals Engineering
  • Published:
JOM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In recent years, the production of customized medical implants through additive manufacturing by the Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing in South Africa has grown significantly. While satisfactory results have been obtained and the quality of life of many patients has been improved, further research is required to enable the production of qualified components. This paper shares the growing acceptance of additive manufacturing, as well as the establishment of a South African Additive Manufacturing Strategy. An overview of the progress made by the Collaborative Programme in Additive Manufacturing is presented. The scope of the metals research performed towards the qualification of additive manufacturing of Ti6Al4V medical implants is discussed. Examples are given of internationally leading work on utilizing these implants, which were additively manufactured under an ISO 13485 system, in maxillofacial reconstructive surgery. Lastly, the development of an affordable polyurethane artificial heart valve is presented as a different type of medical implant.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Reprinted with permission from Ref. 8

Fig. 3

Reprinted with permission from Ref. 9

Fig. 4

Reprinted with permission from Ref. 12

Fig. 5
Fig. 6

(b) and (c) reprinted with permission from Ref. 16

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. R. D’Aveni, Harvard Business Review 40 (2015).

  2. W.B. du Preez and G. Booysen, in Proceedings of the 13th World Conference on Titanium, ed. by V. Venkatesh, A.L. Pilchak, J.E. Allison, S. Ankem, R. Boyer, J. Christodoulou, H.L. Fraser, M.A. Imam, Y. Kosaka, H.J. Rack, A. Chatterjee, and A. Woodfield, TMS (The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, 2016), pp. 1325–1329, ISBN 978-1-119-29366-8.

  3. N. Fernandes, J. van den Heever, C. Hoogendijk, S. Botha, G. Booysen, and J. Els, J. Prosthodont. 25, 589 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Seifi, A. Salem, J. Beuth, O. Harrysson, and J.J. Lewandowski, JOM 68, 747 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. L. Portolés, O. Jordá, L. Jordá, A. Uriondo, M. Esperon-Miguez, and S. Perinpanayagam, J. Manuf. Syst. 41, 65 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. D. de Beer, W. du Preez, H. Greyling (convenor), F. Prinsloo, F. Sciammarella, N. Trollip, M. Vermeulen, with contributions from T. Wohlers, A South African additive manufacturing strategy, Department of Science and Technology (2016), http://www.rapdasa.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/South-African-Additive-Manufacturing-Strategy. Accessed 13 July 2018.

  7. W.B. du Preez, D.J. de Beer, and S. Afr, J. Ind. Eng. 26, 85 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  8. K. Thejane, S. Chikosha, W.B. du Preez, and S. Afr, J. Ind. Eng. 28, 161 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  9. K. Thejane, Characterisation and monitoring of Ti6Al4V ELI powder used for the qualification of medical implants produced through additive manufacturing, M Eng. dissertation, Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, 2018.

  10. ASTM F3001-14, Standard Specification for Additive Manufacturing Titanium-6 Aluminum-4 Vanadium ELI (Extra Low Interstitial) with Powder Bed Fusion (West Conshohocken: ASTM International, 2014).

    Google Scholar 

  11. A. du Plessis, P. Sperling, A. Beerlink, W. du Preez, and S.G. le Roux, MethodsX 5, 1336–1345 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. L.B. Malefane, W.B. du Preez, M. Maringa, and S. Afr, J. Ind. Eng. 28, 188 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  13. L.B. Malefane, W.B. du Preez, M. Maringa, and A. du Plessis, S. Afr. J. Ind. Eng. 29(3), 299 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  14. I. Yadroitsev, P. Krakhmalev, I. Yadroitsava, and A. du Plessis, JOM 70, 372 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. N. Fernandes, J. Van den Heever, K. Hoek, and G. Booysen, J. Prosthet. Dent. 116, 928 (2016).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. L. Masheane, W.B. du Preez, and J. Combrinck, in Proceedings of the 17th RAPDASA Annual International Conference, VUT Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park, South Africa (2016), ISBN 978-0-620-72061-8.

  17. L.R. Masheane, Development of a repeatable dip moulding process for manufacturing polymer artificial heart valves, M.Eng. dissertation, Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa, 2017.

  18. ISO 5840-2:2015, Cardiovascular implants—Cardiac Valve Prostheses—Part 2: Surgically Implanted Heart Valve Substitutes, ANSI Webstore, https://webstore.ansi.org. Accessed 18 July 2018.

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported and funded by the South African Department of Science and Technology through the Collaborative Program in Additive Manufacturing, Contract No.: CSIR-NLC-CPAM-15-MOA-CUT-01. The financial support of the South African Technology Innovation Agency, as well as the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation of South Africa (Grant No 97994), is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing, Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa

    Willie B. du Preez

Authors
  1. Willie B. du Preez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Willie B. du Preez.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

du Preez, W.B. Towards Qualification of Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V (ELI) Medical Implants. JOM 71, 655–661 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-018-3266-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-018-3266-5

Search

Navigation