Future application
According to the guidelines of Horizon2020 programme, it is necessary to aim at the innovation as the main engine for social-economic growth and development of a country. The effects of this research project on the scientific, social and economic development have to be highlighted. Benefits are both for both the quality of life and the competitiveness and sustainable development.
This RP proposal is based on the synergy of different research groups. Each team involved in the network will bring its own contribution in terms of skills and instrumental equipment; accordingly the goal will be the multi-disciplinary collaboration, aimed to find technological solutions for the production of custom-made prostheses, characterized by the following outcomes and spillover effects.
- Technological impact. Technologies actually not so much used in industry because of the lack of knowledge (especially in combination with Ti alloys, as done in this RP) or because they are not competitive for mass production, will become “available to use”. The industrial development resulting from the implementation of these techniques represents a useful widening of the knowledge of the investigated processes (SPIF and SPF). Although the know-how will be specifically developed for the fabrication of the prostheses, it will be then extended to industrial sectors for which this class materials is considered attractive for advantageous strength / weight ratio (niche applications in the aeronautic, aerospace or automotive industries).
- Scientific impact. The setup of numerical models able to implement the rheological behaviour of Ti alloys both in the plastic and superplastic region will improve the definition of SPF and SPIF process parameters; these results will be transferred to other industrial applications in which Ti alloys are widely used.Moreover, the definition of standardized experimental procedures in order to evaluate the mechanical reliability of the devices will be of interest for the whole scientific community, thus providing useful data for future comparative studies of other laboratories. Finally, the multidisciplinary of the research group will allow the definition of a common knowledge between medicine and engineering, based on data from experimental research that will also make possible the development of future research lines.
- Economic Impact. The creation of a standardized procedure will provide a “ready to use” tool for a greater number of clinicians. At the same time, this RP will make it more accessible for medical treatment, due to the incontrovertible reduction of costs and implementation time. Cost reductions for the National Health System will be determined by the reduction of the operating theater occupation (due to the usage of a custom made ready-to-use prosthesis); moreover, the reduction of the manufacturing and delivery time of the prosthesis will reduce also the hospitalization time of the patient in the pre-operative period, while in the post-operative period the hospitalization will be optimized due to the reduction of the time needed for surgery. Finally, costs related to possible mechanical failure of the prosthesis due to an insufficient mechanical reliability of the polymeric or ceramic devices should be reduced thanks to the usage of Ti, which demonstrated to have a long-time mechanical reliability. All these aspects, in turns, will also increase the competitiveness on the European and global market by companies operating in the biomedical field.
- Social Impact. The research project will have significant effects in terms of (i) better clinical service provided to patients, thanks to the implementation of a customer-oriented process; (ii) reduced waiting times, particularly in clinical cases classified as urgent because of the intervention area (maxillo-facial, cranial). This will be obtained through the use of technologies able to produce the prosthesis quickly and with cost-effective disposable equipment (SPF process) or even without the need for specific equipment (SPIF process); (iii) improved social recovery of the patient subjected to a shorter anaesthesia. Furthermore,the faster post-operative recovery will be possible since the patient will not be subjected to disabilities in other body sites (no need of using bone chips taken from the same patient), such as tibia or pelvis; finally, the social recovery will also be easier due to the aesthetic quality of the device (improved by the usage of very precise reconstruction techniques and proper manufacturing processes).