The present work was conducted as part of a larger America Makes funded project to begin to examine the effects of changes in process variables on the resulting microstructure and fracture and fatigue behavior of as-deposited Ti-6Al-4V. In addition to presenting initial results on process mapping of the electron beam powder bed process, the present work also documents the location-dependent pro...

The microstructure and mechanical behavior of simple product geometries produced by layered manufacturing using the electron beam melting (EBM) process and the selective laser melting (SLM) process are compared with those characteristic of conventional wrought and cast products of Ti-6Al-4V. Microstructures are characterized utilizing optical metallography (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SE...

The diamond-like carbon (DLC) films deposited on the articulating surface of medical-grade Ti and Ti–6Al–4V were characterized. The DLC films were synthesized by r.f. plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) using C6H6 at 10 mTorr. For wear tests, the ball-ondisk type wear tester was employed by wearing a 5-mm diameter ruby ball against a rotating metal disk. The DLC coating dramatical...

The aim of this paper is to compare the bioactive behavior generated by two different surface treatments on Ti-6Al-7Nb previous to the implant in the animal knee. One of the treatments consists in soak the sample with NaOH and followed by a subsequent heat treatment. The other treatment consists in immersion for 19 days in a SBF solution with additional PAW1 biovitroceramic (particles under 20 ...

In this paper, the surface modification of titanium alloys Ti-15Mo, Ti-13Nb-13Zr, and Ti-6Al-7Nb is presented as a material for dental implants. The conditions of the plasma electrolytic oxidation process and alkali treatment were designed in this way to enhance the biological properties of the surface of promising Ti alloys. The differences in their surface morphology and, consequently, in the...

Laser direct metal deposition (LDMD) has developed from a prototyping to a single metal manufacturing tool. Its potential for creating multimaterial and functionally graded structures is now beginning to be explored. This work is a first part of a study in which a single layer of Inconel 718 is deposited on Ti-6Al-4V substrate. Single layer tracks were built at a range of powder mass flow rates...

Ti-6Al-4V alloy is the most commonly used alloy for dental and orthopedic implants. In order to improve osseointegration, different surface modification methods are usually employed, including self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). This study presents an investigation of both active (electroassisted) and passive (adsorption) approaches for the modification of Ti-6Al-4V using alkylphosphonic acid. Th...

The spine rod in the spinal fixation system should be tough enough to support the dynamic force and flexible also for flexible movement. 5.5 mm ~ 6 mm diameter spine rods made of Ti-6Al-4V ELI are common products. Two possibilities are studied. The one is that while keeping the flexibility unchanged (using 6mm diameter), how much the fatigue strength can be increased. The other is while the fle...

This paper presents some examples of knee and hip implant components containing porous structures and fabricated in monolithic forms utilizing electron beam melting (EBM). In addition, utilizing stiffness or relative stiffness versus relative density design plots for open-cellular structures (mesh and foam components) of Ti-6Al-4V and Co-29Cr-6Mo alloy fabricated by EBM, it is demonstrated that...