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Project

Toolpath Optimization Strategies for Incremental Forming of Medical Implants

The proposed research project will build on the knowledge gained around ISF (Incremental Sheet Forming), in particular the SPIF variant (Single Point Incremental Forming) within the PMA
group (Production Engineering, Machine Design and Automation) of the Department of Mechanical Engineering of KU Leuven. Explorative research about the identification of geometries in work pieces gives rise to a systematic approach for the production of ISF pieces, with complete automation as a final goal. Due to the large variety of possible geometries and combinations thereof, current research focuses primarily on simple geometries. A new strategy for the further development of these methods isproposed, in which the research efforts are focused to a single application domain, characterized by its distinctive geometries.

The optimal manufacture of customized medical implants is a suitable test bed to bring ISF to a mature industrial level. This domain is characterized by a specific set of geometries that will be investigated for the development of recognition and prediction algorithms. There are many benefits that the use of ISF can offer compared to commonly used methods (faster turnaround times, stronger materials possible, higher accuracy possible). Being a flexible process, ISF is ideally suited for the manufacture of strong patient-specific implants, in which the LASPIF variant (Laser Assisted Single Point Incremental Forming, on which research is done at KU Leuven) allows the use of high-strength alloys.

The goal of this project is twofold. On the one hand there is the development and validation of systematic methods for the recognition of the characteristic geometries within a general medical context, the prediction of the deformation behavior of these geometries and the compensation of unwanted deformations that occur. On the other hand, the development of specific toolpath strategies for different types of cranial (top and back of skull) and maxillo-facial (front of skull) implants is intended, using the developed systematic methods. The project will go through multiple steps in order to create a general formalism that can be used for the generation of toolpaths necessary for the production of tailor-made medical implants made of sheet metals for a variety of ISF variants. Emphasis will be on the preparation of recognition techniques and production strategies, optimized for generic application-specific geometries and combinations thereof. This enables the automatic generation of tool paths for a variety of implants which consist of a combination of the geometries defined. Firstly, recognition algorithms will be developed for the detection and parameterization of geometries characteristic for the medical application. Using these parameterisations, methods and techniques will be developed for the prediction of the deformation behavior of the geometries. These prediction models ultimately lead to the development of strategies for compensating the unwanted deformations in order to increase the accuracy and the maximization of the process window for the selected materials. The validation will be done through the actual production of implants, which will be checked against predefined medical requirements.

 

Date:7 Aug 2015 →  7 Aug 2019
Keywords:Single Point Incremental Forming, Accuracy, Medical Implants
Disciplines:Manufacturing engineering, Other mechanical and manufacturing engineering, Product development
Project type:PhD project