Additive-Manufactured Blade Frame With Shrink-Fit Cutting Insert
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing high-quality replacement blades for surgical instruments is costly, and there is a need for designs and methods that reduce costs without sacrificing quality or capability.
Innovation Solution
A cutting instrument with blades featuring pockets that receive cutting inserts in a green state, where the inserts are permanently fixed after heat treatment, allowing for various cutting edges to be exposed and reducing manufacturing costs through additive manufacturing processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If replacement blades are manufactured through traditional manufacturing methods, then high quality and durability are achieved, but manufacturing costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is segmented into a frame structure with multiple pockets that can independently receive different cutting inserts. This allows the blade body to be manufactured separately from the cutting inserts, enabling cost-effective additive manufacturing of the frame while maintaining high-quality inserts through selective manufacturing processes
Solution Approach 2:
The blade combines different materials: the frame is made through additive manufacturing with metal powder and binding agent, while cutting inserts are made from separate high-quality materials. This composite approach allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and manufacturing cost constraints
2Ease of manufacture
If cutting inserts are inserted into pockets in green state and permanently fixed after heat treatment, then cost-effective manufacturing is achieved, but precise dimensional control during shrinkage is required
Solution Approach 1:
Cutting inserts are pre-positioned in the pockets during the green state before heat treatment. The frame is designed with predetermined shrinkage characteristics that will automatically position the inserts correctly after cooling, eliminating the need for post-heat treatment positioning operations
Solution Approach 2:
The frame undergoes controlled thermal contraction during heat treatment and cooling. The design anticipates this shrinkage by positioning pockets and inserts accordingly in the green state, so that the thermal contraction naturally achieves the final precise dimensional relationships without additional machining or adjustment
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides cost-effective manufacturing of surgical blades with durable and versatile cutting edges, enhancing the efficiency and precision of surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
During heat treatment, the walls of the pocket shrink around a portion of the cutting insert such that a cutting edge of the cutting insert extends beyond the walls of the pocket
Implementation Method 2
The frame may be made of metal powder and a binding agent binding the metal powder
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting instrument including an insert and a frame having sidewalls that extend from a base and define a slot. The slot is configured to receive a portion of the insert such that an edge of the insert extends beyond the frame. The sidewalls are configured to shrink around a portion of the insert such that an edge of the insert extends beyond the frame. Additionally, a method for fabricating a cutting instrument including depositing layers of metal powder onto a base and selectively binding the deposited layers of the metal powder onto the base to form a frame attached to the base. Next, placing an insert within the frame such that a portion of the insert extends beyond the frame and the combination of the base, the frame, and the insert forms an in-process assembly.