Because of its high strength and allowance for bone integration, Ti-6Al-4V is the most commonly used material for load bearing bone implants. Compared to conventional production methods, 3D printing Ti-6Al-4V introduces advantages as (near-) net-shape manufacturing of complex geometries, and optimization of utilization rate of the material. However, as result of the additively production procedure, microstructure and surface properties differ from those manufactured using conventional techniques. Therefore, the resulting mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the 3D printed Ti-6Al-4V are investigated in this study. First, it was aimed to reveal the tensile properties of the material and verify if these depend on build orientation. Second, it was determined which post process method provides the best osteoconductivity. Tensile specimens were designed and 3D printed using Selective Laser Melting (SLM) technique. Subsequently, specimens were heat treated and tensile properties were determined as described in ASTM E 8M-04. Cell culture discs were manufactured using the same production method. The influence of two different surface treatments (sand-blasting versus polishing) on osteoconductivity was analysed by a 30 day Introduction
Materials and methods
