Research on Constructive Design of Strut-Based Lattice Structures for Load-Bearing Orthopaedic Implants Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) Technology

Additive Manufacturing has been lately revolutionizing the manufacturing of personalized implants for medical applications. The possibility to manufacture such complex lattice structures closer to the bone’s actual composition, makes it possible to improve cell integration, new tissue growth, the flow of nutrients, and bone regeneration for implants. Since they also help reduce the amount of material needed for an implant, they can reduce the cost and high weight of the part. This research paper investigates the mechanical properties and performance of two newly developed strut-based lattice structures as potential alternatives for the conventional BCC structure. The objective of redesigning the structures has been to address the issue of stress concentrator regions caused by the sharp edges at strut intersections, therefore the circular and elliptical lattices have been implemented. The volume defects and dimensional accuracy of the structures have been analyzed using Computer Tomography, the surface roughness using an optical microscope, while to determine and compare the mechanical properties, finite element analysis and mechanical compression testing have been conducted. The results of all the above-mentioned categories show that the elliptical and circular lattice structures present superior qualities compared to the BCC structure for load-bearing implant applications.