F R A U N H O F E R I N S T I T U T E F O R L A S E R T E C H N O L O G Y I LT
DQS certified by
DIN EN ISO 9001
Reg.-No.: DE-69572-01
Fraunhofer-Institut
für Lasertechnik ILT
Director
Prof. Reinhart Poprawe
Steinbachstraße 15
52074 Aachen, Germany
Phone +49 241 8906-0
Fax +49 241 8906-121
www.ilt.fraunhofer.de
Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT
The Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT is worldwide
one of the most important development and contract research
institutes of its specific field. The activities cover a wide range
of areas such as the development of new laser beam sources
and components, precise laser based metrology, testing
technology and industrial laser processes. This includes laser
cutting, caving, drilling, welding and soldering as well as
surface treatment, micro processing and rapid manufacturing.
Furthermore, the Fraunhofer ILT is engaged in laser plant
technology, process control, modeling as well as in the
entire system technology. We offer feasibility studies,
process qualification and laser integration in customer
specific manufacturing lines. The Fraunhofer ILT is part
of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.
Subject to alterations in specifications and other technical information. 05/2018.
SELECTIVE LASER MELTING FOR MEDICAL IMPLANTS
Individual and Functional
In SLM, component parts are built layer by layer from a fine
powder that is melted by laser radiation according to a CAD
model. Since it manufactures parts without tools and does
so in layers, SLM lends itself well to cost-effective individual
fabrication of complex geometries. Tailor-made implants can
be designed on the computer directly from medical image
data (CT, MRT) for a patient and subsequently manufactured
with SLM cost-effectively. If needed, these patient-specific
implants can be provided with additional functions that cannot
be achieved with conventional manufacturing methods, or
only at a very high cost. On the one hand, when an implant’s
pore structures are carefully defined, for example, technicians
can improve how well the implant is integrated into the tissue
(osseointegration) and how well new tissue (vascularization) is
supplied to the implant. On the other, SLM enables technicians
to set optimal mechanical properties that are desirable for the
particular patient and site of implantation.
In particular, with resorbable implants, defined pore structures
are a decisive advantage compared to non-porous implants.
The total volume that needs to dissolve can be reduced signi-
ficantly and an effective transport of the dissolved products
can be guaranteed by a complete vascularization of the implant.
At the same time, the bone can form inside the implant so
that the implant is strengthened by new autologous bone
while it decomposes.
Medical Implants Manufactured with SLM
SLM is already being used commercially with many metallic
biomaterials (e.g. titanium alloys, cobalt-chromium alloys
or stainless steel). For applications in medical technology,
the Fraunhofer ILT has already put this process into practice
in cooperation with partners from medical and industrial
companies for the individual series production of coronal
caps and bridges in the dental industry, for joint replacement
(e.g., hips, knees) in orthopedic surgery and for bone replace-
ment in dental, oral and maxillo-facial surgery. In addition
to individual implants, highly specialized surgical instruments
and spinal fusion cages with enhanced functions can also
be manufactured with SLM. These SLM components fulfill all
the requirements of the corresponding regulatory standards
upon mechanical properties and biocompatibility.
The Fraunhofer ILT also offers promising solutions to current
research questions. As an example, we were able to success-
fully test resorbable bone replacement implants that have
interconnected pore structures – made on the basis of a
polylactide-calcium phosphate composite; they were used in
small animal experiments for an area of the skull under low
biomechanical stress. At the same time, we are researching
the use of the technology for resorbable implants made on the
basis of resorbable magnesium alloys for higher load-bearing
areas.
From Idea to Product
The Fraunhofer ILT developed the SLM process in the middle
of the nineties, and since then has constantly refined it in
close cooperation with leading industry companies and
research institutions while taking the whole process chain
into consideration. Thanks to our expertise and many years
of experience, our experts can assist you individually from the
very first idea, through feasibility studies, process and system
development all the way to implementing the results into your
production chain. You can fall back upon our comprehensive
range of equipment, consisting of various commercial systems
and highly flexible laboratory plants, but also upon our know-
how in the area of laser beam source and optics development.
Thanks to our close cooperation with other Fraunhofer Institutes,
the FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, the University
Hospital RWTH Aachen and the RWTH Aachen University,
you can also profit from the bundled competence this location,
Aachen, offers in the sector of additive manufacturing.
Contact Partners
Dipl.-Phys. Lucas Jauer
Telephone +49 241 8906-360
Dr. Sebastian Bremen
Telephone +49 241 8906-301
SELECTIVE LASER MELTING FOR MEDICAL IMPLANTSIf individually adapted bone and joint replacements or medical implants had greater functionality,
e.g., through integrated and defined pore structures, physicians could significantly improve medical care. The
additive manufacturing process, Selective Laser Melting is particularly suitable to manufacture such complex
and individualized implants.
Trends and Challenges in Medical Technology
Both demographic change and the need for ever improving
medical care have placed new challenges upon healthcare
research. In particular, personalized medical technology is
considered one of the most promising fields of the future.
By taking the individual medical needs of the patient into
consideration, e.g. when planning an operation or designing
the implant, physicans can improve minimally invasive surgery,
thereby guaranteeing the patient optimal medical care. On
the one hand, this can considerably increase a patient’s sense
of well-being, and, on the other, reduce the costs for the
health care system and the economy systematically.
The use of resorbable implants as bone replacements is also
setting new standards. These implants dissolve in the bones
of the patient and are successively replaced by the body’s
own bone. This way, implants can be created that “grow” in
children as they grow, thus making it unnecessary to remove
an implant after bones have healed, or for an implant to
remain in the body permanently.
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Front page: individualized cheek bone implant
with interconnected porous structure.
1 Individualized coronal caps and bridges
for dental applications.
2 µ-SLM scaffold (strut thickness approx. 60 µm).
1
3 Individualized cranial implant
with interconnected porous structure.
4 Scaffolds out of biodegradable
magnesium alloy.
5 Individualized acetabular cup.
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