Abstract

The results of CAE-based fatigue analysis depend on the quality of the inputs, especially the material properties. Generally, the properties are an outcome of physical material tests with a natural scatter. The material variability is influenced by material composition, the heat treatment, and the manufacturing process, such as additive manufacturing. Modern additive manufacturing processes also known as rapid prototyping or 3-D printing are used in multiple industrial sectors because of cost-effectiveness and the complexity of the component geometry. Individual components can be produced at comparable costs of a series production. The component is constructed in computer-controlled layers of one or more liquid or solid materials based on CAD-based geometries. Different additive manufacturing powder bed fusion methods have been established classified by their energy source: electron beam melting and selective laser melting. They could be combined with (powder metallurgical) hot isostatic pressing to improve the material structure and properties. The lecture shows the overview of fatigue material properties out of material tests with additive manufactured blanks and conventional manufactured specimens of the material Ti-6Al-4V. All subsequently tested in standardized strain-controlled fatigue tests. Based on the test results strain-life curves and cyclic stress strain curves are detected. Afterwards the fatigue material properties of the different manufactured material variations are used in a CAE-based fatigue analysis of a medical application, a hip joint implant, and the life predicted. The life predictions also include the influence of the effects in the additive manufacturing process, such as anisotropy and porosity. A vertical component of a transmitted force is assumed for the load. It is based on a published investigation. A comparison of the fatigue life results shows a clear dependence of the manufacturing process. The prediction of the fatigue life and the time of failure of a Ti-6Al-4V hip joint implant can be important for humans in relation to importance of perhaps necessary additional operations or exchange of implants.