Process modelling for manufacture of orthopedic implants from short fiber composites

Abstract In the case of total hip joint replacement, it has been shown that matching of femur and implant stiffness would positively decrease the chances of resorption of bone and clinical failure of the procedure. Short fiber composites (SFC) which are biocompatible can offer high strength with stiffness comparable to that of natural bone and hence are an excellent candidate to replace metal alloys used in orthopedic implants. In this work a computational process simulation is presented to investigate the possibility of making an artifical hip implant which is most biocompatible. This simulation computes three dimensional flow induced fiber orientation in manufacturing of an SFC hip implant, estimates its mechanical properties, and predicts its “in vivo” response. This is done using a model 3‐D geometry representing implanted femur. The potential use of such an approach is demostrated by comparing principal stresses at the interface of the bone and the implant for metallic and SFC implant which is manufactured using a variety of by proper selection of material and process variables one can potentially create implants which are most biocompatible.