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Additive Manufacturing of Biomechanically Tailored Meshes for Compliant Wearable and Implantable Devices

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Huber, ME 
Kim, S 
Lee, J 
Grunsfeld, S 

Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pAdditive manufacturing (AM) of medical devices such as orthopedic implants and hearing aids is highly attractive because of the potential of AM to match the complex form and mechanics of individual human bodies. Externally worn and implantable tissue‐support devices, such as ankle or knee braces, and hernia repair mesh, offer a new opportunity for AM to mimic tissue‐like mechanics and improve both patient outcomes and comfort. Here, it is demonstrated how explicit programming of the toolpath in an extrusion AM process can enable new, flexible mesh materials having digitally tailored mechanical properties and geometry. Meshes are fabricated by extrusion of thermoplastics, optionally with continuous fiber reinforcement, using a continuous toolpath that tailors the elasticity of unit cells of the mesh via incorporation of slack and modulation of filament–filament bonding. It is shown how the tensile mesh mechanics can be engineered to match the nonlinear response of muscle. An ankle brace with directionally specific inversion stiffness arising from embedded mesh is validated, and further concepts for 3D mesh devices are prototyped.</jats:p>

Description

Keywords

additive manufacturing, biomechanics, medical devices

Journal Title

Advanced Functional Materials

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1616-301X
1616-3028

Volume Title

29

Publisher

Wiley

Rights

All rights reserved
Sponsorship
Financial support was provided by a National Science Foundation Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability postdoctoral fellowship (Award number: 1415129) to S.W.P.; a Samsung Scholarship to J.L; the School of Engineering and Sciences from Tecnologico de Monterrey to R.R.; the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Department of Energy, UT-Batelle, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, the DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office to G.D.; the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to C.M.; and the Eric P. and Evelyn E. Newman Fund and NSF-CRCNS-1724135 to N.H.