Manufacturing Technology 2026, 26(2):233-238 | DOI: 10.21062/mft.2026.013

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Biomedical Co-Cr-Mo Alloy Produced by Precision Casting and 3D Printing Technologies

Hana Thürlová ORCID..., Dalibor Vojtěch ORCID...
Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague. Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6. Czech Republic

Cobalt-based alloys are widely used for orthopedic implants due to their excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Biomedical Co-Cr-Mo alloy, commonly applied in knee replacements, is typically produced by precision casting. However, in cases requiring patient-specific geometries, additive manufacturing technologies, such as Selective Laser Melting (SLM), offer promising alternatives. This study compares the microstructure and mechanical properties of Co-Cr-Mo alloy in the as-cast state and after SLM processing. The SLM-produced samples exhibited a fine, cellular microstructure and superior mechanical strength. Specifically, the printed alloy achieved a yield strength of 688 ± 8 MPa and an ultimate tensile strength of 994 ± 11 MPa, exceeding that of the cast material by about 495 ± 1 MPa. These results demonstrate the potential of SLM technology for manufacturing customized orthopedic implants with improved mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy.

Keywords: Cobalt-based alloys, Mechanical properties, 3D printing, Selective laser melting, Microstructure
Grants and funding:

This research was financially supported by the Specific university research funding (A1_FCHT_2025_011) and by the project "Mechanical Engineering of Biological and Bioinspired Systems", funded as project No. CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004634 by Programme Johannes Amos Commenius, call Excellent Research

Received: August 26, 2025; Revised: November 14, 2025; Accepted: March 16, 2026; Prepublished online: April 22, 2026; Published: April 23, 2026  Show citation

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Thürlová H, Vojtěch D. Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Biomedical Co-Cr-Mo Alloy Produced by Precision Casting and 3D Printing Technologies. Manufacturing Technology. 2026;26(2):233-238. doi: 10.21062/mft.2026.013.
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