Orthopaedic prosthesis specialist DePuy is currently using Ansys finite
element analysis (FEA) software to evaluate the forces required to insert
an artificial hip socket implant into the pelvic bone, and subsequently
to establish the forces (including torque) required to remove it. All the
analysis work is carried out using Intel based PCs running Ansys Revision
5.6. The main benefit of this approach is the ability to evaluate
different configurations of implant design on a computer, rather than
resorting to physical testing. Physical testing is time-consuming and
expensive, and dependent on the availability of real bone material, which
provides the most accurate results. Numerical modelling also allows DePuy
to view detailed stress and deflection distribution plots and
load-versus-time history plots, which cannot easily be derived from
physical tests.