Innovative Approaches to 3D Printing of PA12 Forearm Orthoses: A Comprehensive Analysis of Mechanical Properties and Production Efficiency.

This research paper aims to explore the mechanical characteristics of polyamide PA12 (PA12) as a 3D material printed utilizing Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and HP MultiJet Fusion (HP MJF) technologies in order to design and manufacture forearm orthoses. The study assessed the flowability of the materials used and compared the mechanical performance of PA12 with each other using tensile, flexure, and impact tests in five different fabrication orientations: X, Y, Z, tilted 45° XZ, and tilted 45° YZ. The results of the study provide, firstly-the data for testing the quality of the applied polyamide powder blend and, secondly-the data for the design of the orthosis geometry from the aspect of its strength parameters and the safety of construction. The mechanical parameters of SLS specimens had less variation than MJF specimens in a given orientation. The difference in tensile strength between the 3D printing technologies tested was 1.8%, and flexural strength was 4.7%. A process analysis of the forearm orthoses revealed that the HP MJF 5200 system had a higher weekly production capacity than the EOS P396 in a production variance based on obtaining maximum strength parameters and a variance based on maximizing economic efficiency. The results suggest that medical device manufacturers can use additive manufacturing technologies to produce prototypes and small-batch parts for medical applications. This paper pioneers using 3D printing technology with Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) methods in designing and manufacturing forearm orthoses as a low- to medium-volume product. The applied solution addresses the problem of medical device manufacturers with regard to the analysis of production costs and mechanical properties when using 3D printing for certified medical devices.

Influence of Antibacterial Coating and Mechanical and Chemical Treatment on the Surface Properties of PA12 Parts Manufactured with SLS and MJF Techniques in the Context of Medical Applications.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a rapidly growing branch of manufacturing techniques used, among others, in the medical industry. New machines and materials and additional processing methods are improved or developed. Due to the dynamic development of post-processing and its relative novelty, it has not yet been widely described in the literature. This study focuses on the surface topography (parameters Sa, Sz, Sdq, Sds, Str, Sdr) of biocompatible polyamide 12 (PA12) samples made by selective laser sintering (SLS) and multi jet fusion (MJF). The surfaces of the samples were modified by commercial methods: four types of smoothing treatments (two mechanical and two chemical), and two antibacterial coatings. The smoothing treatment decreased the values of all analyzed topography parameters. On average, the Sa of the SLS samples was 33% higher than that of the MJF samples. After mechanical treatment, Sa decreased by 42% and after chemical treatment by 80%. The reduction in Sdq and Sdr is reflected in a higher surface gloss. One antibacterial coating did not significantly modify the surface topography. The other coating had a smoothing effect on the surface. The results of the study can help in the development of manufacturing methodologies for parts made of PA12, e.g., in the medical industry.

Modeling of Surface Topography after Milling with a Lens-Shaped End-Mill, Considering Runout.

The paper presents a method of forecasting the product surface topography after five-axis machining with a lens-shaped end-mill. Surface roughness is one of the key parameters considered when assessing the effectiveness of the machining process, especially in the aviation, automotive, tooling and medical equipment industries. The developed method, the first published, presented in the paper is based on the analytical equations of the trajectory of the cutting edge motion, on the basis of which the cutter action surface is generated. The developed model takes into account: cutting depth, cutting width, feed, lead angle and radial runout. Experimental studies were conducted using three different materials: 40HM steel, Al7035 aluminum alloy and Ti Grade 5 titanium alloy. Various values of the cutting width parameters and different feeds were used in the tests. Based on the results of the experimental tests, an empirical model (response surface model) was determined and was then used to verify the simulation model. The simulation results and the results of experimental tests were compared and conclusions were drawn regarding the developed models. The developed models supported by numerical simulation can be used to approximately estimate the influence of the width of cut br and feed ft on selected height characteristics Sa and Sz^ of the geometric structure of the surface (GSS) after machining with a lens-shaped end-mill in terms of the process parameters adopted in the tests. It was found that the influence of the ft on the Sa and Sz^ is greater for small values of br. The effect of br is greater with lower ft values. The cutting width br has the greatest influence on Sa and Sz^, and ft and the interaction of these parameters has the least influence.

Determination of Selected Texture Features on a Single-Layer Grinding Wheel Active Surface for Tracking Their Changes as a Result of Wear.

Measurements of the active surface microgeometry of the grinding wheel by contact and optical methods are commonly used to obtain a cloud of points representing the surface of the examined tool. Parameters that can be determined on the basis of the above-mentioned measurements can be universal parameters, which are commonly used to assess the geometric structure of a surface or parameters taking into account specific properties of the grinding wheel active surface (GWAS) structure. This article proposes a methodology for determining the average level of binder, which allows the definition the cut-off level required to separate from the measurement data: (i) the areas representing grains, (ii) the areas of gumming up of the grinding wheel, and (iii) deep cavities in approximately the same places on the investigated grinding wheel, regardless of the degree of its wear. This, in turn, allows one to track changes in characteristic parameters computed from measurements of texture in the above-mentioned areas due to different GWAS wear processes. The research was based on the analysis of data obtained from measurements of single-layer grinding wheels using the replica technique. The adopted measurement methodology enables measurement of approximately the same (94% coverage) areas of the GWAS at four stages of grinding wheel operation. Errors that were computed related to the determination of the volume of abrasive on the GWAS at various stages of wear using the developed methodology were lower, on average, by 48% compared to the automatic recognition of islands made with a commercial software.

[The hemostasis parameters and ACE gene polymorphism in patients with essential hypertension treated with perindopril]. / Wybrane parametry hemostazy i polimorfizm genu konwertazy angiotensyny i u osób z samoistnym nadcisnieniem tetniczym leczonych perindoprilem.

PURPOSE: 1. The assessment in haemostasis system, fibrinogen, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and its inhibitor type-1, von Willebrand factor and beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) levels and the changes in renin-angiotensin system (RAS), by determined angiotensin converting enzyme I (ACE) activity, in patients with essential hypertension (in relation to left ventricular hypertrophy) in comparison with normotension subjects. 2. The analysis of changes in haemostasis and RAS during treatment with perindopril in relation to left ventricular hypertrophy (group LVH+ and LVH-). 3. The assessment of haemostasis parameters levels and ACE activity in effect of treatment with perindopril in relation to ACE gene I/D polymorphism. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 78 male divided on two groups: cases and controls. The cases contained 44 male outpatients (25-38 years old) with untreated essential hypertension without clinical feature of coronary heart disease and 34 age- and gender- matched healthy controls. CONCLUSION: 1. Untreated essential hypertension predisposes to the procoagulant state characterised by increased Fb level and suppressed of fibrinolysis. These changes not depend on ACE gene I/D polymorphism. The left ventricular hypertrophy not intensificates the procoagulant state. 2. The treatment with perindopril decreases blood pressure effectively independent of ACE gene I/D genotype and left ventricular hypertrophy. Perindopril impairs RAS activity, most in patients with ACE gene II genotype. The treatment with perindopril is only partially effective in alleviating the procoagulant state, by reducing fibrinogen level in II homozygotes due to its more potent inhibitory action on the RAS in this group. The treatment makes fibrinolysis better mainly to high t-PA levels, independently of ACE gene I/D polymorphism. 3. Left ventricular hypertrophy not differentiates the response on treatment in relation to haemostasis parameters and RAS, however there was a slight decrease in ACE activity in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. 4. The changes in haemostasis system and ACE activity, observed during treatment, suggest the appearance of positive relation between haemostasis and RAS. Probably the antithrombotic act of perindopril is more pronounced in II genotype group.