Work

Design Compensation in Pin-Hole Dimensional Changes in Annealed FDM HTPLA Cutting Guides for Orthopedic Surgery

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: (1) Background: HTPLA FDM-printed cutting guides enable the low-cost, in-hospital production of patient-specific instruments. However, annealing, which is required for steam sterilization, may alter the dimensions of fit-critical fixation pin holes. (2) Methods: HTPLA cylindrical specimens (height 5 mm) were printed with fixed process parameters and vertical orientation. Inner diameter (1.6–5.0 mm) and wall thickness (2–6 mm) were varied using a two-factor Central Composite Design (n = 13). Following a two-stage annealing treatment (80 °C, 10 min; 100 °C, 50 min), post-annealing dimensions were measured and modeled using Response Surface Methodology. An illustrative verification was performed on additional specimens. (3) Results: Annealing induced a systematic decrease in inner diameter (−0.4 to −0.9 mm) and an increase in wall thickness (+0.1 to +0.4 mm). A reduced quadratic model accurately captured these trends within the investigated range, with small residuals observed during verification (≤0.1 mm). (4) Conclusions: The proposed local, geometry-driven model supports compensation in fixation pin-hole dimensions in annealed HTPLA cutting guides, improving dimensional predictability within a defined design and process window.

Source: Eng—Advances in Engineering

DOI: 10.3390/eng7020063