Optomec, a global supplier of production-grade additive manufacturing (AM) systems for 3-D printed metals, recently unveiled details of how the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) is using a LENS Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere System to develop dissolvable magnesium components that will have broad-reaching implications in the design and manufacture of next-generation medical implants. This ground-breaking work will enable 3-D printed, patient-specific implants with controlled time to dissolve, eliminating the need for second surgeries and thus reducing risks, costs and suffering for patients.
"We are proud to be the first customer of an Optomec LENS Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere System, the only commercially-available machine to provide hybrid manufacturing capabilities for reactive metals," said Dr. Michael Sealy, Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Materials Engineering at UNL and a pioneer in advanced manufacturing research. "Our research is focused on advancing the performance and functionality of dissolvable devices. Using LENS, we are applying a hybrid AM process to control the disintegration of medical fasteners and plates so they stay intact long enough to serve their purpose, and then degrade away once the bone is healed.
Currently, medical implants-such as plates and screws-are made of titanium or stainless steel, which are permanent structures that often have high complication rates and require a second surgery for removal. By using the LENS Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere System to print patient-specific magnesium implants with a controlled time to dissolve, Dr. Sealy's team is helping eliminate the need for second surgeries.
"At IMTS 2016, Dr. Sealy and his team at University of Nebraska became the first customer of our LENS Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere system, and then at IMTS 2018 they showcased their groundbreaking accomplishments achieved with their LENS Hybrid system," said Tom Cobbs, LENS Product Manager at Optomec. "Dr. Sealy's pioneering work enables the design and manufacture of components with a combination of properties unobtainable using traditional metalworking methods. We applaud his innovative use of hybrid AM to create and qualify a new class of metal components with unique properties that will benefit mankind."
Powdered metals, such as magnesium, titanium and other reactive materials, must be processed in a controlled atmosphere environment where oxygen and moisture impurities are maintained below 10 parts per million. Dr. Sealy used the Optomec LENS 3D Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere System to process these materials in a way that addresses a key scientific challenge: how to maintain the strength and integrity of a degradable implant long enough for it to do its job. Partnered with Sentient Science, Dr. Sealy is also investigating innovative hybrid processing techniques of 7000 series aluminum for the Navy.
The LENS Hybrid CA System enables Dr. Sealy and his team to couple LENS deposition technology with layered surface treatments to print 3-D metal components in magnesium with controlled degradation. The ability to control disintegration of a structure is a highly sought-after design capability-not only for applications in orthopedics, cardiology and urology, but also for other application areas such as lightweight aerospace and automotive structures.
UNL is a leader in hybrid AM and recently established the Nebraska Engineering Additive Technology (NEAT) Labs to create a state-of-the-art regional hub for AM research and innovation that enables collaborations among academia and industry.
"The Optomec LENS 3D Hybrid Controlled Atmosphere System is the industry's first and only atmosphere-controlled system for additive and subtractive processing of metals, including titanium and aluminum. Optomec LENS hybrid technology combines a rugged CNC automation platform with LENS technology, lowering acquisition cost to bring metal AM capabilities to industrial markets," said an Optomec spokesperson.
Optomec recently introduced the LENS 860 Machine Tool Series, which feature larger build volumes and support higher laser power.
For more information contact:
Optomec
3911 Singer NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
505-761-8250
sales@optomec.com
www.optomec.com