Thermal stress flow analysis in fabrication of acetabular shells using SLM

Additive Manufacturing (AM), more popularly known as 3D Printing, is a process for producing functional artifacts by adding layers of materials from data generated directly from 3D solid CAD models. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the formalized term for what used to be called Rapid Prototyping and what is commonly referred to as 3D Printing. The key to how AM works is that parts are made by adding layers of material; each layer corresponding to a thin cross-section of the part derived from the original CAD data. Although most AM machines produce parts using polymers, there are an increasing number of machines that can directly fabricate in metals. The majority of these machines fabricate from raw material in powder form using a directed energy beam to create a local melt zone. Total hip replacement is recommended for people who have medical issues related to excessive wear of the acetabular, osteoarthritis, accident or age. Researches have shown that large numbers of hip arthroplasties (where the articular surface of a musculoskeletal joint is replaced), hip remodelling, or realignment are carried out annually and will increase in the next few decades. Manufacturing of acetabular shells by using AM is a promising and emerging method that has a great potential to improve public health. Lost wax casting or investment casting is currently used to produce acetabular shells followed by lengthy and complex secondary processes such as machining and polishing. Living organs and medical models have intricate 3D shapes that are challenging to identity in X-ray CT images. These images are used for preparing treatment plans to improve the quality of the surgeries regarding waiting and surgery time per procedure and care regime. For instance, a limited number of hip replacement procedures can be carried out on each acetabulum due to a decrease of bone thickness. Rapid prototyping is a suitable treatment planning tool in complex cases to enhance the quality of surgical procedure and provide long-term stability that can be used to customize the shape and size of the acetabular shell. In this paper, to analyse the manufacturing of a prosthetic acetabular shell, built-up lines resulting from a thermal stress flow and process stopping during the selective laser melting (SLM) AM process, with regarding Gibbs free energy, interfacial energy, and equilibrium temperature will be discussed. Geometrical measurements showed 1.59% and 0.27% differences between the designed and manufactured prototype for inside and outside diameter respectively.