A.V. Mitrofanov

Experimental investigations of forces and torque in conventional and ultrasonically-assisted drilling of cortical bone

Bone drilling is widely used in orthopaedics and surgery; it is a technically demanding surgical procedure. Recent technological improvements in this area are focused on efforts to reduce forces in bone drilling. This study focuses on forces and a torque required for conventional and ultrasonically-assisted tool penetration into fresh bovine cortical bone. Drilling tests were performed with two drilling techniques, and the influence of drilling speed, feed rate and parameters of ultrasonic vibration on the forces and torque was studied. Ultrasonically-assisted drilling (UAD) was found to reduce a drilling thrust force and torque compared to conventional drilling (CD). The mechanism behind lower levels of forces and torque was explored, using high-speed filming of a drill-bone interaction zone, and was linked to the chip shape and character of its formation. It is expected that UAD will produce holes with minimal effort and avoid unnecessary damage and accompanying pain during the incision.

Thermal analysis of orthogonal cutting of cortical bone using finite element simulations

Bone cutting is widely used in orthopaedic, dental and neuro surgeries and is a technically demanding surgical procedure. One of the major concerns in current research is thermal damage of the bone tissue caused by high-speed power tools, which occurs when temperature rises above a certain threshold value for the tissue known as bone necrosis. Hence, optimisation of cutting parameters is necessary to avoid thermal necrosis and improve current orthopaedic surgical procedures. In this study a thermo-mechanical finite element model of bone cutting is presented that idealises cortical bone as an equivalent homogeneous isotropic material. The maximum temperature in the bone was found in the region where the thin bone layer (chip) was separated from the bone sample that was adjacent to the tool rake (i.e., front face of the tool). Temperature values were calculated with the model and compared for cutting conditions with and without a coolant (irrigation). The influence of bones thermal properties on the depth of thermal necrosis is discussed. The simulated cutting temperatures were compared with experimental results obtained in bone drilling tests. Simulations of the cutting processes identified critical variables and cutting parameters affecting thermo-mechanics of bone cutting.

Stresses in ultrasonically assisted bone cutting

B one cutting is a frequently used procedure in the orthopaedic surgery. Modern cutting techniques, such as ultrasonic assisted drilling, enable surgeons to perform precision operations in facial and spinal surgeries. Advanced understanding of the mechanics of bone cutting assisted by ultrasonic vibration is required to minimise bone fractures and to optimise the technique performance. The paper presents results of finite element simulations on ultrasonic and conventional bone cutting analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on cutting forces and stress distribution. The developed model is used to study the effects of cutting and vibration parameters (e.g. amplitude and frequency) on the stress distributions in the cutting region.

Stresses in Ultrasonically Assisted Turning

Ultrasonically assisted turning (UAT) is a novel material-processing technology, where high frequency vibration (frequency f ≈ 20kHz, amplitude a ≈15μm) is superimposed on the movement of the cutting tool. Advantages of UAT have been demonstrated for a broad spectrum of applications. Compared to conventional turning (CT), this technique allows significant improvements in processing intractable materials, such as high-strength aerospace alloys, composites and ceramics. Superimposed ultrasonic vibration yields a noticeable decrease in cutting forces, as well as a superior surface finish. A vibro-impact interaction between the tool and workpiece in UAT in the process of continuous chip formation leads to a dynamically changing stress distribution in the process zone as compared to the quasistatic one in CT. The paper presents a three-dimensional, fully thermomechanically coupled computational model of UAT incorporating a non-linear elasto-plastic material model with strain-rate sensitivity and contact interaction with friction at the chip–tool interface. 3D stress distributions in the cutting region are analysed for a representative cycle of ultrasonic vibration. The dependence of various process parameters, such as shear stresses and cutting forces on vibration frequency and amplitude is also studied.

On-line analysis of cracking in cortical bone under wedge penetration

Understanding the mechanism of crack propagation during bone cutting is necessary for the development of realistic bone cutting models. This article studies the on-line fractural behaviour of cortical bone caused by penetration with a sharp metallic wedge mounted on an on-line loading stage within an X-ray microfocus computed tomography system. The experimental results demonstrated anisotropy in crack propagation depending on the penetration direction with regard to the longitudinal bone axis and relate the crack growth to the extent of penetration. Scanning electron microscopy is performed to analyse the mechanism of cracking in the two phase microstructure of compact bone.

Enhanced finite element model of ultrasonically assisted turning

This paper presents a new enhanced computational model of Ultrasonically Assisted Turning (UAT) that is based on the DEFORM 3D FE code and allows transient, coupled thermo-mechanical simulations of both UAT and Conventional Turning (CT) of elasto-plastic materials. The model features 3D oblique chip formation and realistic geometry of a cutting tool. The model is used to analyse the effect of cutting and vibration parameters on cutting forces in UAT. The comparison between efficiency of various vibration directions is also carried out. Optimum values for cutting and vibration parameters are suggested as a result of this numerical study.

Temperature Calculations in Orthogonal Cutting of Cortical Bone Using Finite Element Analysis

The major concern in the current bone cutting research is thermal necrosis of the bone tissue, which occurs when the bone temperature rises above a threshold value. In this study a thermo-mechanically coupled finite element model of the bovine cortical bone is presented. The effect of a cutting speed on the temperature rise in the bone material is analysed. Temperature values in a bone are calculated and compared for cutting conditions with and without cooling (irrigation).

Computational modeling of ultrasonically assisted turning

Ultrasonically assisted turning (UAT) is an advanced machining technique, where high frequency vibration (frequency f ≈ 20 kHz, amplitude a ≈ 15 µm) is superimposed on the movement of the cutting tool. Compared to conventional turning (CT), this technique allows significant improvements in processing intractable materials, such as high-strength aerospace alloys, composites and ceramics. Superimposed ultrasonic vibration yields a noticeable decrease in cutting forces, as well as a superior surface finish [1].