Medical Rapid Prototyping

The medical implants industry has seen huge growth in the past few years due to a population which is getting older and scientific/medical breakthroughs. There is a growing demand for more advanced, functional medical implants fit for use in the 21st century. The Arcam machines available through HK are at the forefront of medical rapid prototyping and are able to deliver the most up-to-date and efficient medical implants.

Why choose medical rapid prototyping?

Using medical rapid prototyping to create implants is ideal as units can be produced for specific recipients, thus increasing efficiency, comfort and overall success. Moreover the flexibility Arcam systems allow you to change your products quickly, avoiding excessive cost but keeping you at the top of the market and on the cutting edge. Innovation is at the core of the Arcam product offering, as supplied by HK.

Also the materials available for use can be used to create implants which are light but very strong. In addition to this CAD models can be produced to exact specifications through the use of computer tomography. There is no room for error in the medical industry and this approach reduces risk greatly as all implants can be tailored to each individual patient.

EBM applications

Standard implants

The EBM technology is a cost-effective process for manufacturing both press-fit implants and cemented implants. For press-fit implants specifically, the EBM process lends itself for high volume production. Solid and porous sections of the implant are built in the same process step, eliminating the need for expensive secondary processes for applying other porous materials.

Custom implants

The EBM technology offers a direct “CAD to Metal” process that allows for production of patient-specific implants using data derived from Computer Tomography (CT). The CT data is used to create an exact CAD model of the desired implant. This CAD model is then used by the EBM machine to build the actual part.

Trabecular Structures™ - Engineered Porous Materials

Develop and manufacture your own unique Trabecular Structure™ using the EBM technology. When choosing the EBM technology for manufacturing you also set yourself free from design constraints that you normally have to consider, due to the limitations of available technologies for building porous materials.

With EBM in mind for production, new advanced trabecular structures can be developed with a minimum of capital investment and a virtually total freedom in design. To achieve the properties you look for in terms of osseointegration, primary fit etc you may optimise your design in terms of:

• Pore geometry
• Pore size
• Relative density
• Roughness

EBM in production

EBM is a cost-effective manufacturing technology for a wide range of implant types such as hips, knees, shoulders and spinal implants. There are a growing number of certified implants on the market produced with the Arcam EBM technology. These products are primary and revision hip implants such as acetabular cups and augments, as well as spinal implants. One of these companies is the Adler Ortho Group, who launched their EBM-manufactured CE-certified Fixa Ti-Por acetabular cup on the European market already in 2007. As of today several thousand EBM-manufactured implants have been implanted.

In service, the manufactured parts can sustain real operating conditions and be subjected to high mechanical loads and temperatures. The parts can also feature geometries that cannot be achieved in other manufacturing technologies.

HK Rapid Prototyping are leading suppliers of Objet 3D printer and Arcam additive layer manufacturing. To find out more about our range of rapid prototyping machines and rapid manufacturing services please click.

If you would like to know more about additive layer manufacturing for the medical industry please get in touch with our knowledgeable team. See top right for contact details.

HK Rapid Prototyping are leading suppliers of Objet 3D printer and Arcam additive layer manufacturing. Please click to find out more about our range of rapid prototyping machines and rapid manufacturing services please click.