The design and processing of a 3D-printed high-performance biological fixation plate.

Abstract

In order to generate a high-performance personalized biological fixation plate with matching mechanical properties and biocompatibility, reverse reconstruction and fracture reduction of a femur were performed by combining reverse and forward approaches, and the surface was extracted according to the installation position of the plate to complete plate modeling by shifting, thickening, and performing other operations. Subsequently, topology optimization and three-dimensional (3D) printing were performed, and the properties of the manufactured plate were probed. The results showed that the maximum displacement of the plate was 4.13 mm near the femoral head, the maximum stress was 5.15e² MPa on both sides of the plate across its entire length, and the stress concentration decreased following topology optimization. The plate with optimized topology and filled with porous structure has a good filling effect. The final mass of the H-shaped plate was 12.05 g, while that of the B-shaped plate was 11.05 g, which dropped by 20.93% and 27.49%, respectively, compared with the original plate. The surface of the 3D-printed plate was bright and new, with a clear pore structure and good lap joint. The B-shaped and H-shaped plates were closely dovetailed with the host bone, which met the assembly requirements. This lays a foundation for the direct application of a high-performance personalized biological fixation plate.