The foundation: additive manufacturing of patient-matched implants.
ME-Fab® is the production engine behind Excellent MedTech's flagship products. It combines patient CT/MRI data, biomimetic design, and Electron Beam Melting of Ti-6Al-4V ELI to produce Class III implants with sub-millimetre anatomical match and gradient-optimised porous micro-architecture.
Bionic match. Gradient structure. Validated performance.
95%+ bionic match
30,000+ real-sample deep-learning models reconstruct cranial curvature 1:1 from CT/MRI. Sub-millimetre matching accuracy on first placement.
1,400 N compressive strength
Anti-impact deformation < 0.7 mm. Fatigue resistance ≥ 5 million cycles. Verified under simulated normal surgical fixation conditions.
Native TiO₂ osseointegration
Medical Ti-6Al-4V ELI forms bionic interfaces with hard and soft tissue via Ti-OH and Ti-O-R covalent bonds.
Why Electron Beam Melting, not SLM?
For titanium medical implants, EBM is preferred over Selective Laser Melting (SLM) because of three reasons: lower oxygen pickup (vacuum environment), lower residual stress (700 °C built-in pre-heat), and higher build rate (commercially viable for one-off patient implants).
EBM vs. SLM — at a glance
| Attribute | EBM (ours) | SLM / DMLS |
|---|---|---|
| Heat source | Electron beam | Fibre laser |
| Build environment | Vacuum | Inert gas (Ar / N₂) |
| Pre-heat | 700 °C | None / mild |
| Residual stress | Lower | Higher |
| Oxygen pickup | Very low | Higher |
| Build rate | Higher | Lower |
Gradient porous. The four numbers that matter.
Every porous titanium implant is defined by four numbers. Our values sit inside the windows proven to support bone ingrowth while preserving mechanical integrity.
| Parameter | Our spec | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Porosity (bone-contact) | 60 – 80% | Mirrors cancellous bone |
| Porosity (load-bearing) | 20 – 40% | Maintains bulk strength |
| Pore size | 300 – 800 µm | "Bobyn window" — supports osteoblast ingrowth |
| Strut thickness | 200 – 500 µm | Balances adhesion vs. buckling |
| Interconnectivity window | ≥ 100 µm | "Klawitter-Hulbert threshold" |
References: Bobyn et al. Clin Orthop 1980; Klawitter & Hulbert J Biomed Mater Res Symp 1971.
Validated against the most demanding standards.
| Test | Method / Standard | Our result | Titanium mesh | PEEK plate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quasi-static compressive failure | ASTM F382 | 1,400 N peak | ~40 N | ~40 N (loosening) |
| Impact deformation | Internal drop rig | < 0.7 mm max, full elastic recovery | > 7 mm permanent indent | Fractures |
| Fatigue | ASTM F382 / ISO 14801 | ≥ 5 × 10⁶ cycles | < 1 × 10⁶ | < 5 × 10⁵ |
| Tensile strength | ASTM E8 | ≥ 860 MPa UTS, ≥ 795 MPa YS | — | — |
| Elongation | ASTM E8 | ≥ 10% | — | — |
| Density (after HIP) | Archimedes + image analysis | ≥ 99.5% | — | — |
Every design is FEA-validated before manufacture.
We run patient-specific FEA before manufacturing. A design is only released for build when all three criteria are satisfied.
Peak von Mises stress
< 440 MPa — < half of Ti-6Al-4V ELI yield strength (880 MPa). Provides infinite-life fatigue margin.
Interfacial micromotion
< 50 µm — Pilliar threshold. Below this, bone ingrows; above, fibrous tissue forms.
Stress-shielding ratio
0.7 – 1.3 — implant strain ÷ bone strain. Too low → resorption; too high → overload.
Medical-grade Ti-6Al-4V ELI. Engineered for the body.
| Item | Specification | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Powder | Ti-6Al-4V ELI, gas-atomised, spherical | ASTM F136, ASTM F3301 (powder) |
| Particle size distribution | 45 – 105 µm | ASTM B214, ISO 13322-1 |
| Oxygen in finished part | < 2,000 ppm | ASTM F136 / ISO 5832-3 |
| Surface roughness (post-EBM) | Ra 5 – 15 µm (as-built) | ISO 4287/4288 |
| Post-processing | Stress relief (730 °C / 2 h / vacuum) or HIP (900–950 °C / 100 MPa / 4 h / Ar) | ASTM F3301 |
| Final cleaning | Ultrasonic + passivation | ASTM F86 |
| Sterilisation | EO (default) or gamma | ISO 11135 / 11137 |
| Packaging | Double-pouch + Tyvek, ISO Class 7 | ISO 11607-1/-2 |
See ME-Fab® in action.
Explore the flagship product of the ME-Fab® platform — our Class III patient-matched skull reconstruction system.