Metallurgy principles applied to powder bed fusion 3D printing/additive manufacturing of personalized and optimized metal and alloy biomedical implants: an overview

• Main Author: L.E. Murr
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2020-01-01
• Series: Journal of Materials Research and Technology
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785419318873

This overview presents a survey of the state-of-the-art of laser and electron beam powder bed fusion, 3D printing design, development, fabrication and applications of porous, or open-cellular metal and alloy personalized implants; and is particularly directed to materials and biomaterials students and professionals. Of particular importance is the application of metallurgy principles, especially the role played by traditional solidification fundamentals, in predicting and characterizing the microstructures and mechanical properties of additively manufactured implants representing a host of human skeletal reconstruction and replacement appliances. In addition to presenting important reviews highlighting very recent metallurgical processing strategies and current trends in the global development of hospital point-of-care, 3D printing centers creating surgical planning models in association with the fabrication of personalized, patient-specific implants are described. Keywords: Powder bed fusion, 3D printing, Solidification microstructures, Personalized porous implants, Biomechanical compatibility