The feasibility study of implant manufacturing using three-dimensional printing and silicone molding
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Date
2018-06-01
Authors
Siti Norsyahirah Abdul Razak
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Abstract
Implant has been used as a treatment for the restoration of the human body for a long time. Nowadays, three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology provides opportunity to the manufacturing process in medical applications and become a potential technology in implant manufacturing. The limitation of the current implant manufacturing procedure is the existing materials used in 3DP process are not medically approved for implant. Apart from relatively high production cost, time and work intensive process to achieve model with better quality in surface finish and anatomical accuracy. The properties and the characteristics of the implant are very important to be considered. The surface roughness of the implant needs to be considered as the material must adapt to and blend into the surrounding tissue after implantation. In this research, two different manufacturing methods by using biocompatible material are proposed as improved alternative of the previous conventional method in order to produce direct product of implant and can be used directly in medical field. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material used in this study as the material is already commercially established and most preferred by surgeons in medical application. First proposed method is direct production by 3DP using a low cost 3D printer, called MakerBot Replicator. PMMA filament was used in this method. The second method is indirect rapid tooling (RT) which is silicone molding by using vacuum casting. The implant was produced by replicating the master pattern using silicone molding under vacuum chamber. After the implant fabrication, the analysis on the feasibility study between both fabrication methods in which mechanical properties, topological properties (surface roughness), production time and production cost were investigated. The results of mechanical properties of implant produced by 3DP barely meet human bone requirement as compared to implant produced by silicone molding. 3DP produces high surface roughness which is 6 times higher than silicone molding and has potential for high percentage of cell attachment. As compared to the silicone molding and the conventional method of implant manufacturing, the production time by 3DP is 65% much shorter and the production cost is 57% lower. The results show that both manufacturing methods are feasible to apply in implant manufacturing. However, 3DP provides more advantages and make it more feasible to apply in implant manufacturing and fabrication taking into accounts the cost, time and benefit of highly customized implant for specific patient. 3DP can pave the ways to more advanced technology and gives great contribution to the medical field.
Keywords:
Medical application; Medical implant; Three-dimensional printing; MakerBot Replicator; Silicone molding; Vacuum casting; PMMA; Mechanical properties; Topological properties; Production time; Production cost.