Biomedical production of implants by additive electro-chemical and physical processes

Biomanufacturing integrates life science and engineering fundamentals to produce biocompatible products enhancing the quality of life. The state-of-the-art of this rapidly evolving manufacturing sector is presented and discussed, in particular the additive electrical, chemical and physical processes currently being applied to produce synthetic and biological parts. This fabrication strategy is strongly material-dependent, so the main classes of biomaterials are detailed. It is explained the potential to process composite materials combining synthetic and biological materials, such as cells, proteins and growth factors, as well the interdependences between materials and processes. The techniques commonly used to increase the bioactivity of clinical implants and improve the interface characteristics between biological tissues and implants are also presented. (C) 2012 CIRP.