The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment

Brent Hendrickx; Pooya Hosseini; Atte Antikainen; Tomi Lindroos; Andoni Sanchez-Valverde; Xuan Yang; Joost R. Duflou

doi:10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61

The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment

Brent Hendrickx^*
, Pooya Hosseini
, Atte Antikainen
, Tomi Lindroos
, Andoni Sanchez-Valverde
, Xuan Yang
, Joost R. Duflou

^*Corresponding author for this work

BA5504 Sustainable material design

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KU Leuven)
Outokumpu Nirosta GmbH

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceedings › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

This study evaluates the environmental impact of using nickel-free stainless steel powder for producing medical implants, focusing on additive manufacturing (AM) of stabilizer brackets used in the Nuss-bar procedure. Currently, titanium-based implants produced via CNC milling form the alternative for nickel-allergic patients, but their production is associated with high environmental impact. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on three production routes: CNC-milled titanium, electron beam melted (EBM) titanium, and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of a nickel-free stainless steel. The results demonstrate that LPBF of the nickel-free alloy significantly reduces CO2 emissions (by 69% vs. CNC titanium and 58% vs. EBM titanium) and overall environmental impact. The findings highlight the potential of lower-impact materials in reducing the carbon footprint of healthcare for select use-cases.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Safe and Sustainable Value Creation by Design
Subtitle of host publication	Proceedings of the 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing (GCSM 2025) September 10–12, 2025, Bologna, Italy, Volume 1
Editors	Holger Kohl, Günther Seliger, Franz Dietrich, Giampaolo Campana
Publisher	Springer
Pages	551-559
ISBN (Electronic)	978-3-032-21157-6
ISBN (Print)	978-3-032-21156-9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61
Publication status	Published - 2026
MoE publication type	A4 Article in a conference publication
Event	21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, GCSM 2025 - Bologna, Italy Duration: 10 Sept 2025 → 12 Sept 2025

Publication series

Series	Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering
ISSN	2195-4356

Conference

Conference	21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, GCSM 2025
Country/Territory	Italy
City	Bologna
Period	10/09/25 → 12/09/25

Funding

The research was financially supported by KIC Raw Materials under project HiPAM: Eco-designed High Performance Alloy for AM and PM. KIC Raw Materials is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) a body of the EU.

Keywords

Additive Manufacturing
Life Cycle Assessment
Medical Implants

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

Hendrickx, B., Hosseini, P., Antikainen, A., Lindroos, T., Sanchez-Valverde, A., Yang, X., & Duflou, J. R. (2026). The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment. In H. Kohl, G. Seliger, F. Dietrich, & G. Campana (Eds.), Safe and Sustainable Value Creation by Design: Proceedings of the 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing (GCSM 2025) September 10–12, 2025, Bologna, Italy, Volume 1 (pp. 551-559). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61

Hendrickx, Brent ; Hosseini, Pooya ; Antikainen, Atte et al. / The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants : Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment. Safe and Sustainable Value Creation by Design: Proceedings of the 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing (GCSM 2025) September 10–12, 2025, Bologna, Italy, Volume 1. editor / Holger Kohl ; Günther Seliger ; Franz Dietrich ; Giampaolo Campana. Springer, 2026. pp. 551-559 (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering).

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title = "The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment",

abstract = "This study evaluates the environmental impact of using nickel-free stainless steel powder for producing medical implants, focusing on additive manufacturing (AM) of stabilizer brackets used in the Nuss-bar procedure. Currently, titanium-based implants produced via CNC milling form the alternative for nickel-allergic patients, but their production is associated with high environmental impact. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on three production routes: CNC-milled titanium, electron beam melted (EBM) titanium, and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of a nickel-free stainless steel. The results demonstrate that LPBF of the nickel-free alloy significantly reduces CO2 emissions (by 69\% vs. CNC titanium and 58\% vs. EBM titanium) and overall environmental impact. The findings highlight the potential of lower-impact materials in reducing the carbon footprint of healthcare for select use-cases.",

keywords = "Additive Manufacturing, Life Cycle Assessment, Medical Implants",

author = "Brent Hendrickx and Pooya Hosseini and Atte Antikainen and Tomi Lindroos and Andoni Sanchez-Valverde and Xuan Yang and Duflou, \{Joost R.\}",

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Hendrickx, B, Hosseini, P, Antikainen, A , Lindroos, T, Sanchez-Valverde, A, Yang, X & Duflou, JR 2026, The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment. in H Kohl, G Seliger, F Dietrich & G Campana (eds), Safe and Sustainable Value Creation by Design: Proceedings of the 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing (GCSM 2025) September 10–12, 2025, Bologna, Italy, Volume 1. Springer, Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, pp. 551-559, 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, GCSM 2025, Bologna, Italy, 10/09/25. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61

The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment. / Hendrickx, Brent; Hosseini, Pooya; Antikainen, Atte et al.
Safe and Sustainable Value Creation by Design: Proceedings of the 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing (GCSM 2025) September 10–12, 2025, Bologna, Italy, Volume 1. ed. / Holger Kohl; Günther Seliger; Franz Dietrich; Giampaolo Campana. Springer, 2026. p. 551-559 (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceedings › Scientific › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants

T2 - 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing, GCSM 2025

AU - Hendrickx, Brent

AU - Hosseini, Pooya

AU - Antikainen, Atte

AU - Lindroos, Tomi

AU - Sanchez-Valverde, Andoni

AU - Yang, Xuan

AU - Duflou, Joost R.

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - This study evaluates the environmental impact of using nickel-free stainless steel powder for producing medical implants, focusing on additive manufacturing (AM) of stabilizer brackets used in the Nuss-bar procedure. Currently, titanium-based implants produced via CNC milling form the alternative for nickel-allergic patients, but their production is associated with high environmental impact. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on three production routes: CNC-milled titanium, electron beam melted (EBM) titanium, and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of a nickel-free stainless steel. The results demonstrate that LPBF of the nickel-free alloy significantly reduces CO2 emissions (by 69% vs. CNC titanium and 58% vs. EBM titanium) and overall environmental impact. The findings highlight the potential of lower-impact materials in reducing the carbon footprint of healthcare for select use-cases.

AB - This study evaluates the environmental impact of using nickel-free stainless steel powder for producing medical implants, focusing on additive manufacturing (AM) of stabilizer brackets used in the Nuss-bar procedure. Currently, titanium-based implants produced via CNC milling form the alternative for nickel-allergic patients, but their production is associated with high environmental impact. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on three production routes: CNC-milled titanium, electron beam melted (EBM) titanium, and laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of a nickel-free stainless steel. The results demonstrate that LPBF of the nickel-free alloy significantly reduces CO2 emissions (by 69% vs. CNC titanium and 58% vs. EBM titanium) and overall environmental impact. The findings highlight the potential of lower-impact materials in reducing the carbon footprint of healthcare for select use-cases.

KW - Additive Manufacturing

KW - Life Cycle Assessment

KW - Medical Implants

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U2 - 10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61

DO - 10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61

M3 - Conference article in proceedings

SN - 978-3-032-21156-9

T3 - Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering

SP - 551

EP - 559

BT - Safe and Sustainable Value Creation by Design

A2 - Kohl, Holger

A2 - Seliger, Günther

A2 - Dietrich, Franz

A2 - Campana, Giampaolo

PB - Springer

Y2 - 10 September 2025 through 12 September 2025

ER -

Hendrickx B, Hosseini P, Antikainen A , Lindroos T, Sanchez-Valverde A, Yang X et al. The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment. In Kohl H, Seliger G, Dietrich F, Campana G, editors, Safe and Sustainable Value Creation by Design: Proceedings of the 21st Global Conference on Sustainable Manufacturing (GCSM 2025) September 10–12, 2025, Bologna, Italy, Volume 1. Springer. 2026. p. 551-559. (Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering). doi: 10.1007/978-3-032-21157-6_61

The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

HiPAM: Eco-designed High Performance Alloy for AM and PM

Cite this

The Production of Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Medical Implants: Demonstrator and Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

HiPAM: Eco-designed High Performance Alloy for AM and PM

Cite this