Wallwork Cambridge, England, has been awarded funding from Innovate UK, the government-backed sponsor of breakthrough technologies, to research the medical applications of its aircraft titanium bearing hardening technology for human implants. The technology combines its expertise in making landing gear bearings lighter and stronger, with the Agilliant process to contain tissue-damaging ion leakage and provide active protection against post-operative infection.
The company currently applies a duplex process on titanium landing gear bearings for the Airbus 350 and 380 passenger jets.
“The duplex coating process opens the way for a new generation of light, strong, safer, and more durable titanium implants,” says Dr. Jonathan Housden. “The program has promise as an enabling technology that may lead to customized implants made by additive manufacturing. These will be more comfortable for the patient with fewer complications caused by post-operative infection and mechanical wear.”
Early accelerated life testing to simulate years of use suggest that the joints will, in many cases, outlive the patient. It is hoped that this will lead to a $400 million annual saving for the NHS by allowing more efficient use of orthopedic resources, because rework of failed or compromised treatments will be avoided. The first human trials may be in four years with full clinical adoption in seven to ten years.
