Project management (led by UCD)

WP1 will ensure the SIMPPER_MedDev consortium delivers on the expected outcomes outlined in this proposal, following a structured approach to managing the programme using formal project management tools and adhering to best practice.

Training (led by UT)

The network wide training provides 22 ECTS credits in total, through 6 academic and technical modules, 4 personal and professional modules, and 2 intellectual skills modules.  

Communication, Dissemination & IP (led by DTU)

This WP ensures effective dissemination of project results to the scientific community and non-scientific community through SIMPPER_MedDev website and social media.

Design Structured Functional Surfaces (led by BD)

WP4 focuses on 6 types of different medical devices. By working with relevant industry partners, functional specifications will be defined for key surfaces in each medical device, with due regard to gendered-design issues. Based on these functional requirements, a broad literature review will be conducted by ESRs on the use of micro/nano structures in the respective areas, e.g. friction reduction, protein immobilisation, anti-fouling, etc. Natural biomimetic surfaces, such as a lotus leaf with superhydrophobic and self-cleaning properties, a gecko lizard’s foot with adaptive adhesion, or shark skin that suppresses turbulent fluid flow, will be examined as references for designing functional surfaces. The manfacturability of micro/nano surface structures will be assessed for implementation in WPs 5, 6 and 7 using polymer micro/nano processing technologies. 

Micro/nano Moulding and Forming

For WP5, fabricating micro structures on a mould can be achieved with micro machining or micro fabrication technologies if the feature size is larger than 50μm. However, creating large-area nanostructures is particularly difficult. ESRs will review literature and explore various nano fabrication processes to manufacture low-cost large-area nanostructures, such as laser induced periodic surface structuring, anodisation, and nanosphere lithography. The research will seek to develop a customised experimental set-up to generate micro/nano structures on complex forms such as tubular stents, syringes or spherical acetabular cups. Emphasis will be given to the replication integrity of micro/nano structures under various process conditions and/or using specialised moulding technologies, such as variotherm or injection compression moulding. Defects that can occur during demoulding will be studied in terms of feature distribution, size, draft angle and chemical properties to ensure the moulding and forming processes achieve high replication integrity.

 Micro/nano Additive Manufacturing (led by DTU)

Research focus will be given to the formability of photopolymers, hydrogels and biopolymers under fused deposition modelling, digital light processing, atomising coating, laser welding and laser induced forward transfer processes. Processes for 3D printing of biopolymers via photopolymerisation will be explored following careful material selection and process development. Emphasis will be given to establishing the effect of process parameters and materials on the resolution of micro/nano structures. Printing experiments and the manufactured structures will be characterised using optical profilometry and atomic force microscopy. Functional devices, such as organ-on-a-chip and hearing aids, will be tested by printing soft rubber-like or biocompatible polymers or hydrogels. The integration of multi-scale, multi-materials and multi-cells will be achieved by developing specific printing processes, such as co-axis bioprinting and laser induce forward transfer.

Micro/nano Subtractive Manufacturing (led by UniPD)

In WP7, cryogenic machining and laser processing, the surface topography, form, microstructure, laser-material interaction, and subsurface structure will be analysed and correlated with processes based on in-line process monitoring, optical/stylus profilometry, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning/transmission electron microscopy. Laser-material interactions from (i) laser ablation on the micrometer scale, (ii) on the nanometer scale when using arrays of micro lenses, and (iii) LIPSS formation will be analysed via experimental monitoring and numerical modelling to study the effect of laser parameters. The effect of laser processing on crucial material properties, such as composition, degradation, contact angle, surface energy and morphology will be analysed. Also, machinability, surface quality, and subsurface structures in high precision cryogenic machining of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene will be studied via cutting experiments and surface & microstructure characterisation methods.

Characterise and Evaluate Performance (led by FHNW)

WP8 focuses on performance evaluation and relates it to surface integrity based on experiments and simulations. Depending on each ESR’s project, the characterisation and evaluation will be carried out on the prototype devices of WP5, 6, and 7. This particular WP will involve mechanical, materials and biological testing.