Additive manufacturing is transforming modern industries by enabling the production of lightweight, complex structures while minimizing material waste and energy consumption. This review explores its evolution, covering historical developments, key technologies, and emerging trends. It highlights advancements in material innovations, including metals, polymers, composites, and ceramics, tailored to enhance mechanical properties and expand functional applications. Special emphasis is given to bioinspired designs and their contribution to enhancing structural efficiency. Additionally, the potential of these techniques for sustainable manufacturing and industrial scalability is discussed. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of Additive Manufacturing’s impact on design optimization and material performance, offering insights into future research and industrial applications.

This paper presents a comprehensive review of natural fiber-reinforced composites (NFRCs) for lower-limb prosthetic designs. It covers the characteristics, types, and properties of natural fiber-reinforced composites as well as their advantages and drawbacks in prosthetic designs. This review also discusses successful prosthetic designs that incorporate NFRCs and the factors that make them effective. Additionally, this study explores the use of computational biomechanical models to evaluate the effectiveness of prosthetic devices and the key factors that are considered. Overall, this document provides a valuable resource for anyone interested in using NFRCs for lower-limb prosthetic designs.

Choosing a suitable prosthesis to restore the functionality of the hip joint is a complex problem. The stem geometries, materials, and type of hip damage are critical factors for avoiding potential issues (aseptic loosening, fracture, and natural wear and tear). Comparing the available stems to select the best option is not straightforward because of the various loads and boundary conditions used in the tests, making the process difficult to compare the advantages and disadvantages among them. This work proposes stem assessment using a standardized base (generated from a literature review and ISO standards) to compare the stem geometries and present a new hybrid design to improve performance using the best qualities of the implants reported in the literature review. Sixteen hip prostheses were evaluated with the finite element method (FEM) using the same boundary and loading conditions through multi-objective analysis (von Mises stress and strain). Consequently, a hybrid geometry proposal was obtained by assessing specific points through the stem length (medial and lateral region) to define the cross-section (trapezoidal) and the new profile. The new hybrid implant proposal presented a stress reduction of 9.6% when compared to the reference implant P2-T (the implant with the best behavior) in the most critical activity (activity 4) using a titanium alloy. A similar stress reduction of 9.98% was obtained using ASTM F2996-13 and ISO 7206–4:2010(E) standards.

Proximal humerus fractures are becoming more common due to the aging of the population, and more related scientific research is also emerging. Biomechanical studies attempt to optimize treatments, taking into consideration the factors involved, to obtain the best possible treatment scenario. To achieve this, the use of finite element analysis (FEA) is necessary, to experiment with situations that are difficult to replicate, and which are sometimes unethical. Furthermore, low costs and time requirements make FEA the perfect choice for biomechanical studies. Part of the complete process of an FEA involves three-dimensional (3D) bone modeling, mechanical properties assignment, and meshing the bone model to be analyzed. Due to the lack of standardization for bone modeling, properties assignment, and the meshing processes, this article aims to review the most widely used techniques to model the proximal humerus bone, according to its anatomy, for FEA. This study also seeks to understand the knowledge and bias behind mechanical properties assignment for bone, and the similarities/differences in mesh properties used in previous FEA studies of the proximal humerus. The best ways to achieve these processes, according to the evidence, will be analyzed and discussed, seeking to obtain the most accurate results for FEA simulations.

En los últimos años los materiales compuestos se han desarrollado para diferentes aplicaciones del área ingenieril. En este trabajo se expone primeramente un análisis de una matriz polimérica, en este caso resina epóxica para su aplicación en un material compuesto reforzado con fibras. Se presenta un estudio de las propiedades mecánicas, el cual se llevó a cabo mediante pruebas de tensión realizadas bajo el régimen de la norma ASTM D638; se manufacturaron cinco especímenes de resina los cuales llevaron un proceso de preparación de moldeo adecuado para la optimización de probetas tipo I. El objetivo fue conocer las propiedades de la matriz termoestable para así reforzarla con fibras de carbono y mejorar las propiedades del material compuesto. Posteriormente se analizaron las propiedades mecánicas del material compuesto en el cual se utilizó el refuerzo de fibra de carbono 3k. Para el análisis se fabricaron especímenes con una orientación [0/+45/-45]s; las pruebas realizadas en los especímenes de material compuesto fueron cinco ensayos de tracción basados en la norma ASTM D3039. El proceso de manufactura empleado para la realización de los especímenes de material compuesto fue el método VACCUM BAG WET LAY-UP. Se comprobó que las probetas de matriz polimérica de resina epóxica generan burbujas por el mezclado y por el curado al ambiente; así mismo estas burbujas trabajan como concentradores de tensiones que debilitan el material en pruebas de tracción. En comparación con las propiedades mecánicas del material compuesto, estos muestran un mejor comportamiento por el refuerzo de fibra de carbono y por el proceso de manufactura al vacío.

The problematic of handicap people, especially amputees, significantly impacts to the society. Existing prosthesis gives solutions that discourage amputee's expectations; high costs are not often accessible for most of them. This research includes a methodology for construction of a prototype mold for manufacturing a generic foot prosthetic, Whose objective is to develop a methodology of design, manufacture and that is of low cost. There are a large number of materials that can be used in a prosthetic limb, in this experiment a composite material of 3K carbon fiber and epoxy resin was used, of which stress tests were performed under ASTM D3039 with orientation of [0/90/ +/- 45] s where a maximum load of 14276,25 N was obtained, taking as a basis the results obtained from the material to carry out the manufacture of the first prototype transtibial prosthesis which was manufactured with the technique proposed in this investigation. Once fabricated, it was subjected to static load tests under ISO 10328, where the laminate was tested, which was used in addition to the suggested methodology. The considerable reduction in manufacturing time, weight and average cost in relation to commercial prostheses was corroborated.