Orthopedic Implant Surface Erosion for Bone Integration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing orthopedic implants manufactured using additive methods do not fully leverage their potential to promote bone integration and fusion, necessitating improvements in surface structures to enhance bone growth and integration.

Innovation Solution

The method involves additively building orthopedic implants, followed by stress-relieving and surface erosion processes, including mechanical and chemical erosion, to create nano-scale and micro-scale structures that facilitate bone growth and integration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If orthopedic implants are manufactured using conventional additive methods, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but surface structure quality deteriorates and bone integration is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoidsurface structure quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The manufacturing process is divided into distinct stages: additive manufacturing for rapid production, stress-relief heat treatment for microstructural optimization, and surface erosion for creating nano-scale features. This segmentation allows each process to be optimized independently, achieving both manufacturing efficiency and surface quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Stress-relief heat treatment is applied as a preliminary step before surface erosion. This preliminary action prepares the microstructure by relieving internal stresses from additive manufacturing, making the subsequent surface erosion process more effective in creating controlled nano-scale features while preventing distortion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If surface erosion is applied to create nano-scale structures, then bone growth promotion is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebone integrationVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The surface erosion process replaces complex mechanical surface modification techniques with a chemical etching approach. This substitution creates nano-scale structures through controlled chemical reactions, simplifying the manufacturing process while achieving the desired surface topology for bone integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The surface erosion process controls nano-scale structure formation by adjusting chemical parameters such as etchant concentration, temperature, and exposure time. This parameter control enables precise manipulation of surface morphology without requiring complex mechanical systems, reducing manufacturing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Strength

If stress-relief treatment is applied after additive building, then implant strength is improved, but production time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplant strengthVSAvoidproduction time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The stress-relief heat treatment is applied as a periodic cycle with specific temperature profiles and holding times. This periodic action efficiently relieves internal stresses through controlled thermal cycles, optimizing implant strength while minimizing the total time required compared to continuous or extended heat treatments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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 method enhances bone growth by creating surfaces that stimulate osteoinduction and osseointegration, allowing new bone to grow on and out from the implant surfaces over time, improving integration and fusion.

Implementation Method 1

materials in crystal or granular form are melted by energy sources and layered or applied while liquid to each other to form growing structures

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Implementation Method 2

The additive build may comprise successive layering and sintering of powder, particles, granules, wires, fragments, or combinations thereof of the metal into the shape of the orthopedic implant

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Implementation Method 3

stress-relieving the implant or treating the implant with hot isostatic pressure, or treating the implant with hot uniaxial pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStress relief: Stress Relaxation

Implementation Method 4

treating the implant with hot isostatic pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHot isostatic pressing: Hot Isostatic Pressing

Implementation Method 5

treating the implant with hot uniaxial pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHot uniaxial pressing:

Implementation Method 6

mechanically eroding (e.g., blasting the surfaces with an organic or inorganic medium, which is preferably dissolvable, and may be particulate)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 7

chemically eroding (e.g., treating the surfaces with an acid or base)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical etching:

Data Source

PatentUS12558229B2Processes for additively manufacturing orthopedic implants

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 TITAN SPINE INC

AI summary

Orthopedic implants produced by additive manufacture, followed by refinement of exterior and interior surfaces trough mechanical erosion, chemical erosion, or a combination of mechanical and chemical erosion. Surface refinement removes debris, and also produces bone-growth enhancing micro-scale and nano-scale structures.