US 7,537,664 B2 · Laser-produced porous surface

Abstract

A method of fabricating a porous or partially porous three-dimensional metal article for use as a tissue ingrowth surface on a prosthesis. The porous article is formed using direct laser remelting in a cross section of a layer of metallic powder on a build platform without fusing thereto. The power, speed, spot size and beam overlap of the scanning laser is coordinated so that a predetermined porosity of the metallic powder can be achieved. Laser factors also vary depending from the thickness of the powder layer, type of metallic powder and size and size distribution of the powder particles. Successive depositing and remelting of individual layers are repeated until the article is fully formed by a layer-by-layer fashion. In an additional embodiment, a first layer of metallic powder may be deposited on a solid base or core and fused thereto.

Claims59

Dependent claims

A method of producing a three-dimensional porous tissue ingrowth structure comprising:

depositing a first layer of a powder made from a metal selected from the group consisting of titanium, titanium alloys, stainless steel, cobalt chrome alloys, tantalum and niobium, onto a substrate;
scanning a laser beam at least once over said first layer of metal powder to remelt the metal powder in order to create at least two solid lines, said laser beam having a power (P) in Joule per sec. with a scanning speed (v) in millimeters per sec., and a line separation (d) in millimeters such that the number calculated by the formula P/(d×v) lies between the range 0.3-8 J/mm2, so as to give a required pore size;
depositing at least one layer of said powder onto said first layer;
and
repeating said laser scanning steps for each successive layer until a desired height is reached.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser-produced porous surface

Life of this patent

Laser-produced porous surface

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims59