Sinan Al-Bermani, University of Sheffield, North East finalist
Sinan joined the University of Sheffield in 2001 to undertake a Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering. Upon completion, she was employed by Firth Rixson Ltd and worked as a development metallurgist, responsible for wrought production, for two years. In August 2007, Sinan returned to the University of Sheffield to undertake a PhD entitled ‘Rapid Manufacture of High Strength Titanium Components’.
Digital Manufacture for Medicine
Digital manufacture, as a concept, is a simple, layer-based manufacturing process. Placing nominally two-dimensional layers on top of each other produces three-dimensional parts. Powders are used as the starting material and are melted to form the desired geometry.
Yield is high, customised parts require no tooling and complex parts can be produced almost as easily as basic ones. These properties lend digital manufacture to medical implants and two case studies show how it has been used and could potentially be used.
The structure of the bone in the human femur will be briefly discussed before describing how digital manufacture could produce structures that more closely resemble natural ones.
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