Design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) for hip prosthesis for 3D printing

The need for a long-term hip implant increases due to the rise in the number of hip replacement each year. Designing a hip prosthesis through traditional manufacturing methods is time-consuming and expensive. In accordance to the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0), design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) has become one of the advanced technologies and manufacturing in recent years. To solve these issues, this paper will aim to analyse the total deformation and von Mises stress of hip prosthesis for total hip replacement using CAD modelling by applying DfAM for rapid prototyping to improve in saving time, cost and efficiency of the hip implant. The simulations were performed to investigate whether the modified design of Charnley hip prosthesis can give better analysis than the existing design. Based on the static structural simulation analysis, the modified design implant had higher maximum total deformation and maximum von Mises stress. The relative percentage difference for maximum total deformation is 1.0%, twice the relative percentage of maximum von Mises stress of 0.5%. Therefore, it might affect the analysis when using dynamic motion. The modified design has 1.05% volume and mass reduction, and 0.45% higher safety factor than the existing design of hip implant, thus fit the goal of design for additive manufacturing in minimizing the weight of the model with better efficiency, in contrast to the traditional production method. Further improvement and analysis can be made on different designs, boundary conditions and types of loadings, or using various materials for the implants.