Fabrication of microscaffolds from Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy by SLM
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the results of theoretical considerations and experimental tests concerning microscaffold fabrication by selective laser melting (SLM). Also described are manufacturing technologies for regular lattice microstructure with the smallest possible pore sizes and fullest possible order of geometric accuracy retained. Process parameters of SLM greatly affect the properties of the fabricated structures not only in regards to their material characteristics but also in their geometric representation accuracy.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper discusses technological relationships between different laser micrometallurgy strategies and the accuracy of the manufactured microstructures.
Findings
With technological possibilities evaluated, regular porous structure was created composed of cubic pores with cylindrical struts as their boundaries. Strut diameters are up to 180 μm, and the distance between neighboring strut axes was reduced to 600 μm, which gives a hollow channels clearance of approximately 420 μm.
Originality/value
Presented results show possibilities of manufacturing small high-strength lattice microstructures by SLM using Ti-6Al-7Nb titanium alloy powders for tissue engineering.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank for the financial support from the project “Bio-implants for osseous tissue decrement in patients with cancer treatment” (contract number POIG.01.01.02-00-022/09; co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund).
Citation
Pawlak, A., Szymczyk, P., Ziolkowski, G., Chlebus, E. and Dybala, B. (2015), "Fabrication of microscaffolds from Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy by SLM", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 393-401. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-10-2013-0101
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited