Development of appropriate processes and cutting tools for precision machining of Co-Cr-Mo superalloys to increase the safety of medical implants

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Halle; Professor Dr.-Ing. Bernhard Karpuschewski
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: from 2017 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 387598706

Especially, in the processing of medical implants, it is important to ensure defined surface textures and small deformed boundary layers in order to avoid premature failure of the component and superficial erosion. This can be achieved by an optimized cutting process. As shown in the preparatory work for roughing the hip ball made of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum, the finishing of the artificial acetabulum is now to be examined in this advanced research projects. In addition, the experimental test effort should be minimizedby the use of FE-simulations of machining. Since these material models for the material Co-Cr-Mo are currently not available, the development these models is a key objective of this research project. This will be realized in close cooperation with the Institute of Materials Science and Joining Technology. In this project a finishing process will be developed with a defined cutting edge. The aim is to produce a surface roughness of Ra = 0.1 microns by turning and rotary milling. An innovative approach is the microstructuring of cutting materials such as PCD, CVD-D, MKD and CBN. This also applies to the process-induced modification of the material mechanical properties such as a specifically adjusted proportion of epsylon-phase in the subsurface areas of Co-Cr-Mo alloys. Reflections on the process rotary milling are planned in order to achieve appropriate surface roughness and reduce cutting forces.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Dr.-Ing. Florian Welzel