Jahresbericht 2017

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Medical Technology
Droplet-based Additive Manufacturing of Metal Parts
Coordinator
Prof. Dr. Tim Lüth, Micro
Technology and Medical
Device Technology
Phone +49.89.289.15190
Members
Prof. Dr. Oliver Lieleg,
Biomechanics
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wall,
Computational Mechanics
Prof. Dr. Tim Lüth (interim),
Dr. Markus Eblenkamp,
Medical Materials and
Medical Implant Design
Contact
Most additive manufacturing processes today are based
on polymeric building materials. Despite their superior
properties, metals are a far less common building material
for three dimensional printing (3DP). Although there are
commercial processes for the additive manufacturing of
metallic products, the high equipment costs impede their
widespread adoption. Therefore a novel 3DP process
based on the direct deposition of droplets of molten alu-
minum was developed in a joint DFG-funded (LU604/42)
research project in cooperation with the Chair of Metal
Forming and Casting (utg). In this project, a pneumatically
actuated droplet generator is used to generate droplets of
molten aluminum alloys at temperatures of up to 750 °C.
The droplets are deposited on a heated build platform
which is mounted on a computer-controlled translation
stage situated in an inert gas atmosphere. This setup
allows for cost-effective 3D-printing of aluminum parts
without any intermediate steps.
n Medical technology is one of the highest value generating sectors in Germany
and across the world.
The highly interdisciplinary field of medical technology is
represented in several chairs and numerous projects at
the Department of Mechanical Engineering. In addition,
there is an intensive exchange with clinical institutions,
especially the Klinikum Rechts der Isar. For many years,
the participating chairs have worked together successfully
and with a sustained interest of the students in designing
the Master’s program in medical technology. Emphasis
is placed on the development of medical mechatronic
systems, medical materials, smart medical devices,
Multi-body simulation and FEM analysis to
describe the biomechanical conditions in the
spine and the intervertebral discs as a basis
for the development of biomechanically and
patient-individually adapted intervertebral disc
implants.
3D printer of the KUMOVIS spin-off for the production of medical plastic
parts from the biocompatible high-performance polymer PEEK (polyeth-
er-ether-ketone). The system is characterized by a patented laminar air flow
around the printed part, which allows an exact adjustment of the printing
temperature up to 400 °C and clean room conditions as a basis for the
production of medical products.
cell-based medical technology and biomechanical
simulations. The possibilities of additive manufacturing
in medical technology also offer exciting perspectives.
It can be used, for example, to adapt medical devices
anatomically and biomechanically to individual patient
needs or to implement highly function-integrated systems
for minimally invasive surgical interventions. Life science
was therefore established as a pillar of the activities of the
newly founded Faculty Cluster Additive Manufacturing.