Evaluation of custom-made implants using industrial computed tomography

Verification of custom-made implants manufactured using the additive manufacturing technologies is the key task to be fulfilled prior to the clinical application of an implant. It consists of parameters verification within individual steps, from a software design, through manufacturing, surface finishing, up to finalisation of a medical product. The use of additive technologies facilitates the manufacture of custom-made implants for human body parts which are not mechanically loaded (e.g. cranial implant), as well as replacement of joints, or bones, which are mechanically loaded during common everyday activities. The article presents possible uses of a plastic 3D printing and the computed tomography (Metrotom 1500, Carl Zeiss, Germany) for the verification of selected parameters of static customised implants manufactured using the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology with the EOSINT M280 equipment (EOS GmbH, Germany) from the biocompatible titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5).