Additive Manufacturing of Biomechanically Tailored Meshes for Compliant Wearable and Implantable Devices
[1];
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA, Department of Engineering University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 1PZ UK
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA, Department of Mechanical Engineering Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Daejeon 34141 South Korea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA, Department of Materials Science and Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA, School of Engineering and Sciences Tecnologico de Monterrey 64849 Mexico
- Department of Mechanical Engineering Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge MA 02139 USA
Abstract Additive manufacturing (AM) of medical devices such as orthopedic implants and hearing aids is highly attractive because of the potential of AM to match the complex form and mechanics of individual human bodies. Externally worn and implantable tissue‐support devices, such as ankle or knee braces, and hernia repair mesh, offer a new opportunity for AM to mimic tissue‐like mechanics and improve both patient outcomes and comfort. Here, it is demonstrated how explicit programming of the toolpath in an extrusion AM process can enable new, flexible mesh materials having digitally tailored mechanical properties and geometry. Meshes are fabricated by extrusion of thermoplastics, optionally with continuous fiber reinforcement, using a continuous toolpath that tailors the elasticity of unit cells of the mesh via incorporation of slack and modulation of filament–filament bonding. It is shown how the tensile mesh mechanics can be engineered to match the nonlinear response of muscle. An ankle brace with directionally specific inversion stiffness arising from embedded mesh is validated, and further concepts for 3D mesh devices are prototyped.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 1527041
- Journal Information:
- Advanced Functional Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Functional Materials Vol. 29 Journal Issue: 32; ISSN 1616-301X
- Publisher:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- Germany
- Language:
- English
Web of Science
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