Development of bio-compatible metallic structures using direct metal deposition process

This paper investigates the capabilities of Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) process, which is a novel additive manufacturing technique, for creating structures that can be used as bone implants. Emphasis is on the use of bio-compatible metals, because metals are the most suitable materials in terms of mechanical strength when the requirement arises for supporting and replacing the load bearing bones and joints such as hip and knee. Specimens using two different metal powders, 41C stainless steel and Ti6Al4V titanium alloy, are generated by DMD process on mild steel and titanium plates as substrates respectively. Metallographic samples were made from the cladding, and tested for surface roughness and micro-hardness. The results indicate that at low laser power, hard and strong structures with good porosity can be successfully created using the DMD system