Renishaw collaboration demonstrates capabilities of AM for spinal implants

News
March 26, 2019

March 26, 2019

Renishaw collaboration demonstrates capabilities of AM for spinal implants

The sample implant, demonstrated in a model of the human spine (Courtesy Renishaw Inc)

 

Renishaw has collaborated with two technology firms to demonstrate the advantages of metal Additive Manufacturing in the production of spinal implants. By working with Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR), Rathcoole, County Dublin, Ireland, and nTopology, New York City, USA, Renishaw aimed to demonstrate how collaboration with the right partners can streamline the transition from design to Additive Manufacturing.

Under the collaboration, IMR designed a sample titanium spinal implant, aimed at the cervical spine, using nTopology’s generative design software. IMR then manufactured the implants using Renishaw’s RenAM 500M metal AM system.

Ed Littlewood, Marketing Manager of Renishaw’s Medical and Dental Products Division, stated, “AM can be used to manufacture spinal implants with lattice structures, which cannot be achieved with conventional manufacturing techniques. An implant with a lattice structure is lightweight, can be optimised to meet the required loading conditions and has a greater surface area, which can aid osseointegration. AM implants can be designed to mimic the mechanical properties of bone, resulting in better patient outcomes. But all of this comes to nothing if you don’t have the tools to create the design.”

“Traditional CAD tools weren’t built to design complex lattice structures; the job would be difficult or even impossible,” added Matt Rohr, nTopology’s Application Engineering Manager. “nTopology’s software was designed to complement existing workflows and make the job easier. We cut the design time of complex structures from days to minutes, which was a crucial component in helping this project run on schedule.”

“Renishaw worked tirelessly with us on improving the AM process for producing the spinal implants,” commented Sean McConnell, Senior Research Engineer at IMR. “Together, we designed a set of experiments that yield the most appropriate parameter settings for the product. As a result, we reduced the amount of post processing required on key features of the implants by a factor of ten.”

Patients with medical conditions including degenerative disc disease, herniated disc, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis and osteoporosis can require spinal implants to restore intervertebral height. It is thought that the improved implant design made possible by AM means patients may require shorter surgery time and fewer follow-up surgeries, saving healthcare resources and costs.

www.renishaw.com

News
March 26, 2019

In the latest issue of Metal AM magazine

Download PDF
 

Extensive AM industry news coverage, as well as the following exclusive deep-dive articles:

  • Metal powders in Additive Manufacturing: An exploration of sustainable production, usage and recycling
  • Inside Wayland Additive: How innovation in electron beam PBF is opening new markets for AM
  • An end-to-end production case study: Leveraging data-driven machine learning and autonomous process control in AM
  • Consolidation, competition, and the cost of certification: Insight from New York’s AM Strategies 2024
  • Scandium’s impact on the Additive Manufacturing of aluminium alloys
  • AM for medical implants: An analysis of the impact of powder reuse in Powder Bed Fusion

The world of metal AM to your inbox

Don't miss any new issue of Metal AM magazine, and get the latest industry news. Sign up to our twice weekly newsletter.

Sign up

Discover our magazine archive…

The free to access Metal Additive Manufacturing magazine archive offers unparalleled insight into the world of metal Additive Manufacturing from a commercial and technological perspective through:

  • Reports on visits to leading metal AM part manufacturers and industry suppliers
  • Articles on technology and application trends
  • Information on materials developments
  • Reviews of key technical presentations from the international conference circuit
  • International industry news

All past issues are available to download as free PDFs or view in your browser.

Browse the archive

Looking for AM machines, metal powders or part manufacturing services?

Discover suppliers of these and more in our comprehensive advertisers’ index and buyer’s guide, available in the back of Metal AM magazine.

  • AM machines
  • Process monitoring & calibration
  • Heat treatment & sintering
  • HIP systems & services
  • Pre- & post-processing technology
  • Powders, powder production and analysis
  • Part manufacturers
  • Consulting, training & market data
View online
Share via
Copy link
Powered by Social Snap