Investigating the bending properties of polymeric orthopedic plaque made of different polymers by additive manufacturing method

Metal orthopedic plaques can cause problems such as osteoporosis in the area under the plaque, the release of unwanted corrosion products in the body due to the wear of metal plaque and as a result of infection, as well as surgery to remove the hard metal plaque. Therefore, polymer plaques and composite plaques can be a good substitute for metal plaques. In the current research, the effect of polymeric material type on the mechanical properties of two bone stabilizing plaques, one flat and the other curved, both with a row of holes and high clinical application, is investigated using the three-point bending test. For this purpose, samples were made of ABS, PLA and PETG using additive manufacturing method of 3D printing and FDM melt deposition method. The test results showed that the highest strength and flexural modulus for both models of orthopedic plaque samples is related to PLA material. For the flat plaque, the bending strength and bending modulus of PLA compared to PETG are 58% and 100% higher, respectively. For the curved plaque, the bending strength and bending modulus of PLA compared to PETG are 49% and 100% higher, respectively. It was also seen that although the strength and flexural modulus depend on the dimensions and geometry of the models, but the ratio of changes in these properties, especially the flexural modulus, is almost constant.