Design and Structural Factors’ Influence on the Fatigue Life of Steel Products with Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

The influence of implant design and structural factors on fatigue life under cyclic loading was investigated. The implants were manufactured from 316L steel powder using 3D printing for medical use. A simulation model of implant deformation was built using ANSYS software. The obtained data showed that the geometry of the implant had the necessary margin of safety for osseointegration time. It was found that the stress concentration factor, which is associated with fatigue life, for an implant with a hexagon head and internal thread depends on the mechanical properties of the metal, design, and load conditions. The presence of internal threads and holes in the implant increases the stress concentration factor by more than 10 times. The number of load cycles for the failure of the implant, which was calculated by taking into account a coefficient for reducing the endurance limit, was found to be sufficient for implant osseointegration. © 2023 by the authors.