Research Projects

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is a widely studied method for manufacturing various components, including zinc components, for biomedical applications. Zinc is a biodegradable micronutrient material with unique attributes such as promoting protein and DNA synthesis, acting as an immunity booster, and aiding in wound healing. However, none of the methods have achieved 100% dense deposition of zinc for implant manufacturing due to its small processing window and proneness to oxygen uptake. This project proposes developing a customized WAAM setup for zinc deposition in biomedical applications. This includes encoding a high-frequency pulsed power supply and developing a trailing shield protector to address issues of zinc evaporation and oxidation. A database will be created to map the effects of processing parameters and raster patterns on output parameters, and an optimum parametric window will be developed for the deposition of various Zn test specimens. Details of electrochemical properties and weight loss will be analyzed through immersion tests, and cytocompatibility tests will be conducted using McC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. The results will be compared with wrought material to evaluate the properties and performance of AM fabricated specimens. Successful implementation of this project could provide an opportunity to use WAAM for flexibility of design, topological optimization, assembly consolidation, and light weighing manufacturing of load bearing Zn implants like bones, plates, and screws.