Process parameter optimization for porosity and compressive strength of calcium sulfate based 3D printed porous bone scaffolds
ISSN: 1355-2546
Article publication date: 28 January 2021
Issue publication date: 2 March 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to optimize the process parameters of ZPrinter® 450 for measured porosity (MP) and compressive strength (CS) of calcium sulfate-based porous bone scaffold using Taguchi approach.
Design/methodology/approach
Initially, a porous scaffold with smallest pore size that can be de-powdered completely is identified through a pilot study. Five printing parameters, namely, layer thickness (LT), build orientation (BO), build position (BP), delay time (DT) and binder saturation (BS), each at three levels have been optimized for MP and CS of the fabricated scaffolds using L27 orthogonal array (OA), signal-to-noise ratio and analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Findings
The scaffolds with 600 µm pores could be de-powdered completely. Optimum levels of parameters are LT2, BO1, BP2, DT1 and BS1 for MP and LT1, BO1, BP2, DT1 and BS2 for CS. The ANOVA reveals that the BS (49.12%) is the most and BP (8.34%) is the least significant parameter for MP. LT (50.84%) is the most, BO (33.79%) is second most and DT (2.59%) is the least significant parameter for CS. Taguchi confirmation test and linear regression models indicate a good agreement between predicted and experimental values of MP and CS. The experimental values of MP and CS at the optimum levels of parameters are found 38.12% and 1.29 MPa, respectively.
Originality/value
The paper presents effect of process parameters of ZPrinter® 450 on MP and CS of calcium sulfate-based porous scaffolds. Results may be used as guideline for powder bed binder jetting three-dimensional printing of ceramic scaffolds.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Authors are very thankful to Dr P. Ganesh and Dr Ashish Agrawal of RRCAT, Indore for the help and support extended during CT scan, XRD and CS testing of the samples.
This work is financially supported by the Madhya Pradesh Council of Science and Technology (MPCST), Bhopal, India vide sanction letter no. 3965/CST/R&D/Phy&Engg/2017–18, dated March 31, 2018.
Disclosure Statement: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Citation
Modi, Y.K. and Sahu, K.K. (2021), "Process parameter optimization for porosity and compressive strength of calcium sulfate based 3D printed porous bone scaffolds", Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 27 No. 2, pp. 245-255. https://doi.org/10.1108/RPJ-04-2020-0083
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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