Additive Manufacturing of Biomedical Devices in Ti-6Al-7Nb

题为《钛合金生物医疗设备的添加制造》的研究项目被提交给联合呼吁2019-M-ERA.Net，该项目资助魁北克省与一些特定国家-德国(萨克森地区)为本项目开展的合作研究项目。M-ERA.Net Call的目标是所有应用领域的技术，包括：(1)工程和材料加工的建模，(2)创新的表面、涂层和界面，(3)高性能复合材料，(4)功能材料，(5)健康应用的先进材料技术的新战略，(6)添加剂制造(AM)的材料。本研究项目的目标是开发一种整体的方法来设计、制造和测试由Ti-6Al-7Nb制成的负重矫形植入物。据报道，与传统使用的Ti-6Al-4V相比，这种金属合金具有更低的毒性(无V)和更好的耐腐蚀性。该项目将解决几个知识空白，如缺乏多层次植入物设计的平台，粉末表面比例对粉末扩散行为的影响，激光粉末床熔化(LPBF)和电子束熔炼(EBM)的可制造性，该合金的性能和AM加工时的耐蚀性来自魁北克(McGill和AP&C)的研究团队将研究用于添加剂制造的生物医学设计(DFAM)指南和战略的基本方面、LPBF和EBM的粉末工程以及使用LPBF制造试件和原型、其表征和测试。由来自Fraunhofer IMAF和德累斯顿医院Neustadt的AM专家组成的德国团队将负责循证医学任务(包括多层设计的验证)和符合DIN ISO 10993的研究，以模拟生物医学植入物的使用条件(例如腐蚀、机械稳定性)。通用电气添加剂公司AP&C是与该项目相关的加拿大工业公司，已进入该研究计划，目标是提高他们在各个方面的知识和竞争力。AP&C有兴趣在其产品组合中增加Ti6Al-7Nb合金。他们希望更好地了解其基本特性(LPBF和EBM中的粉末特性和可制造性)以及其潜在的市场用途，以在医疗器械领域为其广受欢迎的Ti-6Al-4V提供补充。GE Additive是植入物和医疗设备领域的关键参与者。该项目将通过开发新的DFAM植入物解决方案来进一步加强他们的地位，这些解决方案将超过目前可用的产品。

The research project entitled Additive Manufacturing of Biomedical Devices in Ti-6Al-7Nb is submitted to the Joint Call 2019 - M-ERA.Net, which funds collaborative research projects between Quebec province and some specific countries - Germany (Saxony region) for the present project. The M-ERA.Net call targets technologies in all areas of application including: (1) Modelling for engineering and materials processing, (2) Innovative surfaces, coatings and interfaces, (3) High performance composites, (4) Functional materials, (5) New strategies for advanced material-based technologies in health application and (6) Materials for additive manufacturing (AM). This proposed project is in line with areas 1, 4, 5 and 6.The objective of this research project is to develop a holistic method to design, fabricate and test weightbearing orthopedic implants made out of Ti-6Al-7Nb, a metallic alloy that was reported to have lower toxicity (no V) and improved corrosion resistance compared to the traditionally used Ti-6Al-4V. Several knowledge gaps will be addressed in this project, such as the lack of platform for multi-hierarchal design of implants, the influence of the powder surface scale on the powder behavior during spreading, the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and the electron beam melting (EBM) manufacturability and properties of this alloy and its corrosion resistance when processed by AM. The research team from Quebec (McGill and AP&C) will study the fundamental aspects of biomedical Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM) guidelines and strategies, powder engineering for LPBF and EBM and fabrication of coupons and prototypes using LPBF, their characterization and testing. The German team composed of AM experts from Fraunhofer IMAF and Dresden Hospital Neustadt will be tackling the EBM tasks (including the validation of the multi-hierarchal designs) and the studies according to DIN ISO 10993 to simulate the biomedical implant service conditions (e.g. corrosion, mechanical stability).AP&C, a GE Additive company, is the Canadian industrial associated with the project and has entered the research program with the goals of improving their knowledge and competitiveness on various fronts. AP&C is interested in adding the Ti6Al-7Nb alloy in its portfolio of products. They desire to better understand its fundamental properties (powder characteristics and manufacturability in LPBF and EBM) and its potential market use to open a complementary offering to their popular Ti-6Al-4V in the medical device field. GE Additive is a key player in the field of implants and medical devices. and This project will permit to further strengthen their position by developing new DFAM solutions to implants that will surpass the currently available products.