Towards the design qualification of removable partial dentures produced through laser powder bed fusion of cobalt-chrome – a case study

^1*,2 Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa, jcombrinck@cut.ac.za
³ Centre for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing, Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa, wdupreez@cut.ac.za

^* Corresponding author: iadam@cut.ac.za

Abstract

Part qualification, a component of quality assurance, is a critical requirement for components produced through additive manufacturing (AM) and intended to replace traditionally manufactured qualified industrial components. The part qualification process is broad and can cover requirements which are linked to individual additive manufactured parts, machines, materials and process parameters based on overall risk. This paper reviews the design qualification process for removable partial dentures (RPDs) fabricated through laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) using cobalt- chromium (Co-Cr) alloys. Key considerations during the manufacturing process which ensure the reliability and efficacy of LPBF-produced RPDs are discussed. With reference to the dental industry, one such consideration is the need for patient comfort which is derived from the fit of the RPD. This paper further demonstrates the use of design qualification (DQ) to define the fit of LPBF RPDs according to dental requirements. The DQ was instrumental in defining a suitable material fit for RPD produced using the LPBF of Co-Cr.