IMR & Renishaw Streamline the Additive Manufacturing of Spinal Implants
Company Size
1,000+
Region
- Europe
Country
- Ireland
Product
- nTopology
- Renishaw’s build preparation software
Tech Stack
- Additive Manufacturing
- Generative Design
- Design Optimization
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Customer Satisfaction
- Innovation Output
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Generative AI
- Functional Applications - Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES)
- Functional Applications - Product Lifecycle Management Systems (PLM)
Applicable Industries
- Healthcare & Hospitals
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Additive Manufacturing
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) is a leading research organization in Ireland focused on advancing manufacturing technologies. They collaborate with various industry partners to develop innovative solutions that enhance manufacturing processes and product development. Renishaw, a global engineering and scientific technology company, specializes in precision measurement and healthcare solutions. Together, IMR and Renishaw leveraged their expertise to develop advanced spinal implants using additive manufacturing techniques. Their collaboration aimed to address the needs of patients with spinal conditions by creating implants that promote osseointegration and match the mechanical properties of bone.
The Challenge
The engineers of the Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and Renishaw aimed to develop an additively manufactured Anterior Cervical Interbody Device (ACID) using nTopology. The goal was to create a device that could help restore intervertebral height in patients suffering from conditions such as degenerative intervertebral disc disease, vertebral fusion, spondylolisthesis, herniated disc, osteoporosis, and spinal stenosis. The challenge was to design a spinal implant with a porous lattice that promotes osseointegration and vascularization while matching the mechanical properties of bone. This required precise control over design variables and efficient design cycles to ensure the implant's effectiveness and safety.
The Solution
IMR and Renishaw utilized nTopology's design optimization capabilities to develop the Anterior Cervical Interbody Device (ACID). nTopology enabled the engineers to control all design aspects of the ACID throughout the development process. They varied design parameters in a spatially precise manner and used physical fields, such as pressure and strain across the implant volume, to optimize the design. This allowed them to arrive at an optimum osseointegration lattice pore size. IMR developed seven concepts that went through the complete design cycle, with multiple iterations in each cycle. nTopology's software facilitated quick and effective design parameter adjustments, expediting the design cycles. The engineers also sliced their designs in nTopology and exported the data directly to Renishaw’s build preparation software, streamlining the manufacturing process and reducing the risk of errors and inconsistencies.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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