UC San Diego

Ceramics are known for their wear resistance, hardness, strength, and biocompatibility yet the industrial application of these materials in the orthopedic industry is limited due to the difficulty and cost of manufacturing. Additive Manufacturing (AM) via ink-based powder bed 3D printing provides an exciting opportunity to address these issues in the production of implantable orthopedic components. However, the successful production of mechanically and geometrically compatible bioceramic parts has not been achieved using this coveted technology because the use of advanced sintering technologies together with AM has not been sufficiently investigated. In this work, a multi-faceted comprehensive study was performed which includes experimental testing, detailed characterization, analytical modeling, and finite element simulation of net shape bioceramic manufacturing using Sintering Assisted Additive Manufacturing (SAAM). By integrating the solvent jetting 3D printing method with advanced sintering technologies, high density bioceramic components with tailored geometrical, physical and mechanical properties were produced and provide a novel approach to current bone repair solutions.