Kajsa Duke

A novel CACD/CAD/CAE integrated design framework for fiber-reinforced plastic parts

Presents a CACD/CAD/CAE integrated design framework for fiber-reinforced plastic parts.Develops the heterogeneous feature model for fiber-reinforced object modeling.Develops the level-set structure and material optimization for conceptual design.Applies the response surface method to optimize the injection molding process conditions.Improves the design optimality and shortens the design process. This work presents a novel CACD/CAD/CAE integrated framework for design, modeling, and optimization of fiber-reinforced plastic parts, which can greatly enhance the current design practice by realizing partial automation and multi-stage optimization. To support this framework, a new heterogeneous feature model (HFM) has been developed to model the fiber-reinforced objects and to be transferred between engineering modules. To be specific, the CACD (computer-aided conceptual design) module employs the level-set structure and material optimization to produce the initial design with thickness control, and also the initial HFM; the CAD (computer-aided design) module allows manual editing on the HFM to reflect various design intents; then, the injection molding CAE (computer-aided engineering) simulates the manufacturing process, and the response surface method (RSM) is applied to optimize the process parameters of gate location, injection flow rate, mold temperature and melt temperature, to approach the manufactured fiber orientation distribution close to the optimized result produced by the CACD module; besides, the structural analysis CAE module generates the mechanical performance result to support the CACD module, as well as to validate the final design. By applying this framework, the final structural design including the fiber orientation distribution, will perform better in mechanical properties, and consume less matrix and fiber materials; besides, the design maturity can be approached in shorter time. To prove the effectiveness, a plastic gripper design will be comprehensively studied.

Symmetry analysis of talus bone: A Geometric morphometric approach

Objective The main object of this study was to use a geometric morphometric approach to quantify the left-right symmetry of talus bones. Methods Analysis was carried out using CT scan images of 11 pairs of intact tali. Two important geometric parameters, volume and surface area, were quantified for left and right talus bones. The geometric shape variations between the right and left talus bones were also measured using deviation analysis. Furthermore, location of asymmetry in the geometric shapes were identified. Results Numerical results showed that talus bones are bilaterally symmetrical in nature, and the difference between the surface area of the left and right talus bones was less than 7.5%. Similarly, the difference in the volume of both bones was less than 7.5%. Results of the three-dimensional (3D) deviation analyses demonstrated the mean deviation between left and right talus bones were in the range of -0.74 mm to 0.62 mm. It was observed that in eight of 11 subjects, the deviation in symmetry occurred in regions that are clinically less important during talus surgery. Conclusions We conclude that left and right talus bones of intact human ankle joints show a strong degree of symmetry. The results of this study may have significance with respect to talus surgery, and in investigating traumatic talus injury where the geometric shape of the contralateral talus can be used as control. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2014;3:139–45.

Computer simulation for the optimization of patient positioning in spinal deformity instrumentation surgery

Studies have shown that scoliosis curves correct when patients are positioned on the operating table prior to instrumentation. However, biomechanical aspects of positioning have not been widely studied. The objective of this study was to simulate patient positioning during instrumentation surgery and test various adjustment parameters of the trunk and recommend optimal patient positioning prior to, and during spine surgery based on the results of finite element simulations. A scoliotic patient was simulated using a finite element model and six different positioning parameters were modified while ten geometric measures were recorded. Statistical analysis determined which model parameter had a significant effect on the geometric measures. Geometric measures were individually and simultaneously optimized, while corresponding model parameters were documented. Every model parameter had a significant effect on at least five of the geometric measures. When optimizing a single measure, others would often deteriorate. Simultaneous optimization resulted in improved overall correction of the patient’s geometry by 75% however ideal correction was not possible for every measure. Finite element simulations of various positioning parameters enabled the optimization of ten geometric measures. Positioning is an important surgical step that should be exploited to achieve maximum correction.

Improving greater trochanteric reattachment with a novel cable plate system.

Cable-grip systems are commonly used for greater trochanteric reattachment because they have provided the best fixation performance to date, even though they have a rather high complication rate. A novel reattachment system is proposed with the aim of improving fixation stability. It consists of a Y-shaped fixation plate combined with locking screws and superelastic cables to reduce cable loosening and limit greater trochanter movement. The novel system is compared with a commercially available reattachment system in terms of greater trochanter movement and cable tensions under different greater trochanteric abductor application angles. A factorial design of experiments was used including four independent variables: plate system, cable type, abductor application angle, and femur model. The test procedure included 50 cycles of simultaneous application of an abductor force on the greater trochanter and a hip force on the femoral head. The novel plate reduces the movements of a greater trochanter fragment within a single loading cycle up to 26%. Permanent degradation of the fixation (accumulated movement based on 50-cycle testing) is reduced up to 46%. The use of superelastic cables reduces tension loosening up to 24%. However this last improvement did not result in a significant reduction of the grater trochanter movement. The novel plate and cables present advantages over the commercially available greater trochanter reattachment system. The plate reduces movements generated by the hip abductor. The superelastic cables reduce cable loosening during cycling. Both of these positive effects could decrease the risks related to grater trochanter non-union.

Computer-aided design–computer-aided engineering associative feature-based heterogeneous object modeling

Conventionally, heterogeneous object modeling methods paid limited attention to the concurrent modeling of geometry design and material composition distribution. Procedural method was normally employed to generate the geometry first and then determine the heterogeneous material distribution, which ignores the mutual influence. Additionally, limited capability has been established about irregular material composition distribution modeling with strong local discontinuities. This article overcomes these limitations by developing the computer-aided design–computer-aided engineering associative feature-based heterogeneous object modeling method. Level set functions are applied to model the geometry within computer-aided design module, which enables complex geometry modeling. Finite element mesh is applied to store the local material compositions within computer-aided engineering module, which allows any local discontinuities. Then, the associative feature concept builds the correspondence relationship between these modules. Additionally, the level set geometry and material optimization method are developed to concurrently generate the geometry and material information which fills the contents of the computer-aided design–computer-aided engineering associative feature model. Micro-geometry is investigated as well, instead of only the local material composition. A few cases are studied to prove the effectiveness of this new heterogeneous object modeling method.

Biomechanical Analysis of Chlorhexidine Power Irrigation to Disinfect Contaminated Anterior Cruciate Ligament Grafts

Background: Accidental graft contamination is a likely complication to occur in an orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon’s career. There are no clinical outcome studies to direct management, and a recent survey showed that preferred management varied. Three liters of 2% chlorhexidine power irrigation has been shown to be an efficient and effective disinfection protocol; however, the biomechanical sequelae of this disinfection protocol to the graft are unknown. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if 3 L of 2% chlorhexidine power irrigation used to disinfect contaminated anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) grafts significantly weakens the graft at time zero. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Eight fresh bovine superficial digital flexor tendons underwent disinfection protocol with 3 L of 2% chlorhexidine power irrigation. Contralateral tendons served as the control. Tendons were preconditioned and loaded to failure. Results: The average ultimate failure load for the control tendons and disinfected tendons was 4081 ± 654.4 N and 4146 ± 723.2 N, respectively. The average ultimate failure stress for the control tendons and disinfected tendons was 97.10 ± 12.03 MPa and 95.18 ± 11.79 MPa, respectively. The average stiffness for the control tendons and disinfected tendons was 546.20 ± 28.16 N/mm and 539.2 ± 25.93 N/mm, respectively. The P values for ultimate failure load, ultimate failure stress, and stiffness showed no statistically significant difference between the chlorhexidine and control tendons. Conclusion: Disinfecting tendons with 3 L of 2% chlorhexidine power irrigation does not adversely weaken the tendon’s tensile mechanical properties. Clinical Relevance: Three liters of 2% chlorhexidine power irrigation can effectively disinfect a contaminated ACL graft without weakening the graft.

Three-dimensional geometric analysis of the talus for designing talar prosthetics

Proper understanding of the complex geometric shape of the talus bone is important for the design of generic talar body prosthetics and restoration of the proper ankle joint function after surgery. To date, all talus implants have been patient-specific with the limitation that complex computer modeling is required to produce a mirrored image from the unaffected opposite side followed by machining a patient-specific prosthesis. To develop an “off-the-shelf” non-custom talar prosthesis, it is important to perform a thorough investigation of the geometric shape of the talus bone. This article addresses the applicability of a scaling approach for investigating the geometric shape and similarity of talus bones. This study used computed tomography scan images of the ankle joints of 27 different subjects to perform the analysis. Results of the deviation analyses showed that the deviation in the articulating surfaces of the talus bones was not excessive in terms of talus size. These results suggest that a proposed range of five implant sizes is possible. Finally, it is concluded that the talus bones of the ankle joints are geometrically similar, and a proposed range of five implant sizes will fit a wide range of subjects. This information may help to develop generic talus implants that might be applicable to patients with a severe talus injury.

Multi-material plastic part design via the level set shape and topology optimization method

This work presents a new multi-material level set topology optimization method which is developed especially for designing plastic parts. Instead of representing the structure using multiple level set functions, this new method employs only one level set function to describe the material/void interface. The injection moulding filling simulation is used to determine the material/material interfaces. Because plastic parts are targeted, domain-specific knowledge is carefully investigated to improve the optimization algorithm. Both homogeneous and heterogeneous fibre-reinforced plastics are considered as potential material phases. For the latter, one extra design freedom, fibre orientation distribution, is introduced. Instead of generating incremental interior voids, which complicates the mould design and part ejection, shape-fixed interior voids could be predefined inside the design domain for functional or assembly purposes. This is represented by an additional level set function. A few numerical examples are studied to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

A geometric approach to study the contact mechanisms in the patellofemoral joint of normal versus patellofemoral pain syndrome subjects

The biomechanics of the patellofemoral (PF) joint is complex in nature, and the aetiology of such manifestations of PF instability as patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is still unclear. At this point, the particular factors affecting PFPS have not yet been determined. This study has two objectives: (1) The first is to develop an alternative geometric method using a three-dimensional (3D) registration technique and linear mapping to investigate the PF joint contact stress using an indirect measure: the depth of virtual penetration (PD) of the patellar cartilage surface into the femoral cartilage surface. (2) The second is to develop 3D PF joint models using the finite element analysis (FEA) to quantify in vivo cartilage contact stress and to compare the peak contact stress location obtained from the FE models with the location of the maximum PD. Magnetic resonance images of healthy and PFPS subjects at knee flexion angles of 15°, 30° and 45° during isometric loading have been used to develop the geometric models. The results obtained from both approaches demonstrated that the subjects with PFPS show higher PD and contact stresses than the normal subjects. Maximum stress and PD increase with flexion angle, and occur on the lateral side in healthy and on the medial side in PFPS subjects. It has been concluded that the alternative geometric method is reliable in addition to being computationally efficient compared with FEA, and has the potential to assess the mechanics of PFPS with an accuracy similar to the FEA.

Testing System for the Comparative Evaluation of Greater Trochanter Re‐attachment Devices

The scope of this study was to propose and validate a specialized test bench that applies biaxial forces on an orthopedic model of Greater Trochanter (GT) re-attachment with integrated cable tension measurement. Stability of the GT fragment is evaluated using a custom triplanar video movement-analysis system with the first camera’s field of view (FOV) corresponding to the GT osteotomy plane and the second and third camera’s FOVs corresponding to the median plane of the femur in frontal and posterior views, respectively. A typical experimentation and its critical analysis conclude the paper.