Metal Layering Technique Leads to Fine Tuned Implants

A laser heats the powdered metal in the exact places that need to be firm. "It's like baking a cake," says Andreas Burblies, spokesman for the Fraunhofer Numerical Simulation of Products, Processes Alliance. Any remaining loose powder is subsequently removed. "The end product is an open-pored element," explains Burblies. "Each point possesses exactly the right density and thus also a certain stability." The method allows the engineers to produce particularly lightweight components that are also extremely robust.