Finite Element Analysis to determine the optimum contact pressure between the components of a hip implant made by using the Selective Laser Sintering and the Selective Laser Melting Technologies

Abstract

The article presents a case study that was realized at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (TUC-N) in the field of customized medical implants made by using different additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, such as the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and the Selective Laser Melting (SLM). Finite element analysis was successfully used to determine the mechanical behavior of an acetabular liner that was made from PA 2200 powder material by SLS and to determine the optimum technological parameters required to be used in the manufacturing process of the acetabular liner by SLS, so as the contact pressure between the acetabular liner made from PA 2200 material by SLS and the femoral head made from TiAl6V4 material by SLM will be optimum at the end and the displacement between the components will remain in the admissible limits.