On June 7th 2005, the president of the National Research Council Canada will inaugurate the new facilities for the development of metallic and ceramic medical devices using the powder metallurgy technologies at the NRC Industrial Materials Institute. These laboratories will be dedicated to the forming of biocompatible parts using powders. Advanced technologies are used:

To produce parts with unique characteristics and properties that cannot be produced using other processes
To fabricate large volume of net shape parts with complex geometries at a reduced cost

Prototype d'implant dentaire
Prototype of dental implant

The principal applications targeted are dental and orthopaedic implants (i.e. hips, knees, lumbar fusion, osseous reconstruction, etc.) and dental as well as the production of components for medical devices for surgeries and diagnostics (instruments for laparoscopy, endoscopy, etc). Titanium and its alloys (CpTi, Ti6Al4V, TiNi), stainless steels and other biocompatible alloys such as Co-Cr-Mo and ceramics (Al2O3, TiO2, TiN, HAp... ) are among the targeted materials.

Prototype of system of anchoring for implant
Prototype of system of
anchoring for implant

The equipment and expertise available at IMI allow:

Preparation of powder blends in controlled environment
Forming of porous parts by foaming and moulding
Forming metallic and ceramic complex parts using powder injection moulding
Micromoulding of miniature components
Debinding of organic materials
Sintering or consolidation in a high temperature vacuum sintering furnace (temperature up to 1500°C)
Machining and milling for prototype fabrication and biocompatibility testing

Vacuum sintering furnace

Micromoulding press

The laboratory will support primarily two major research topics involving multidisciplinary groups of research at NRC as well as multiple institutional and industrial partners:

Production of metallic foams and porous parts
Forming of medical devices by powder injection and microinjection moulding

The developments of metal foams and porous parts relate to the development of new porous materials for the production of orthopaedic and dental implants. These materials:

Have similar structures and properties than cancellous bones
Support the integration of implants by allowing bone ingrowth and connective tissues attachment
Allow the integration of drug and growth factors directly into their structures

NRC Ti foam, Cancellous bone and Initial phase of extracellular matrix produce inside the CNRC Ti foam. (Coutesy of J.P.St-Pierre/McGill Univ.)
NRC Ti foam
Cancellous bone and
Initial phase of extracellular matrix produce inside the CNRC Ti foam.
(Courtesy of J.P. St-Pierre/McGill Univ.)

The development of parts by powder injection and microinjection relates to the development of powders/binders (feedstocks) formulations and the optimization of the forming process.

The objectives are:

Form complex implants and micro-implants and components for medical devices with complex shapes
Form ceramic microparts with micro-textured surfaces
Reduce cost for mass production of metallic and ceramic complex parts

Orthodontic parts

Surface micropattern on alumina
Surface micropattern
on alumina

For further information, please feel free to contact:

Sylvain Pelletier, Eng. Director Advanced Forming and Coatings Tel.: 450-641-5239 Fax: 450-641-5105 E-mail: Sylvain.Pelletier@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca
John Lyons, M.B.A. Business Development Officer Advanced Forming and Coatings Tel.: 519-430-7166 Fax: 519-430-7067 E-mail: John.Lyons@cnrc-nrc.gc.ca

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Facilities for the Development of Metallic and Ceramic Medical Devices

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