When producing parts in metal by 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), defects can occur. In common with other manufacturing processes, these defects may consist of cracks, internal pores or impurities, and these defects could lead to premature or unexpected failure of a part. To combat this, inspection and quality assurance processes are undertaken to ensure that no defects that would impact the safety of a part are present. However, the current approaches to quality assurance in AM are expensive and time-consuming, and they are often unable to detect critical defects in the complex geometries AM excels at. Data collected from sensors in the AM process help us understand the root causes of defects and can be used to identify anomalies in the manufacturing process. The challenge is that these datasets are large, complex and require significant expertise to analyse and it is therefore difficult to use the data to make rapid decisions about part quality. NEXUS is an AI-powered software platform being developed by Nexus Additive Ltd that overcomes these challenges and unlocks the value in the manufacturing sensor data. It detects defects in near real-time and enables machine operators to evaluate part quality, removing costly inspection processes as a barrier to adoption of AM. This project will take the NEXUS platform, which has demonstrated a promising proof-of-concept, and explore its efficacy in detecting defects in safety critical components which require long-service life. Nexus Additive will be partnering with Osstec Ltd, a UK medical device manufacturer aiming to bring the a fully 3D printed unicondylar knee replacement to market. This project will show whether the NEXUS platform can detect defects in an end-user's components and prove its value as a quality assurance tool to enable and accelerate the adoption of innovative metal AM components.

The NHS performs 130,000 knee replacements annually. Demand is growing due to our ageing population and backlog caused by Covid-19\. Partial knee surgery is the fastest growing treatment, particularly in young patients for whom the risk of becoming less active, productive and socially connected is higher and has more severe long term consequences. Despite advances in orthopaedic implants, at present solid cobalt-chrome implants remain the gold-standard treatment for knee osteoarthritis. A major drawback of this material is that it diminishes bone health in the long term which can lead to bone loss and implant loosening. Existing partial knee tibial components show good patient outcomes, however, they disturb bone's natural dynamic remodelling because they are made from solid Cobalt Chrome. Additionally, 30% of them fail by loosening. Such implants under-load 70% of the bone area and inhibit bone growth, complicating revision surgery. Our 3D printed components integrate our unique porous structure which cadaveric and animal data indicates maintains bone loading and health better than conventional implants. Restoring physiological loading will stimulate long term bone growth around the implant and long-term biologic fixation via bone ingrowth into the porous implant. Our implant will be the first partial knee replacement with a polymer-on-polymer articulating surface, which removes the risk of allergenic response. We foresee this implant saving on lifetime costs for the NHS and more broadly, helping to keep young men and women active, productive, independent and socially connected as they age -- enjoying added years in work and a rewarding personal life. Employment opportunities are such that on average patients with arthritis earn less than those without. Furthermore, management of the disease has proven significantly more difficult for poorer patients, due to reduced opportunity to seek preventative treatment and longer public sector wait times. Partial knee replacements offer day surgery treatment and faster recovery than total knee replacement. They are also more cost effective at the point of care and over the long term. Our implants will improve this upon this by reducing risk of complication. In this way, our service will help to narrow the gap between the experience of the richest and poorest by ensuring affordable and timely treatment for all patients.

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