Case Study: University of Florida achieves advanced 3D virtual knee modeling and wear prediction with 3D Systems

University of Florida Aims to Improve Knee Replacement Surgery with 3D Virtual Modeling

3D Systems worked with researchers at the University of Florida to tackle a growing clinical problem: total knee replacements wear out too quickly for younger, more active patients and existing physical wear tests are slow, costly and often fail to reproduce real-world loading. The team needed patient-specific, high‑resolution 3D models to measure joint motion and predict contact stresses that lead to implant failure.

Using 3D Systems’ Geomagic Wrap to turn CT point clouds into accurate polygonal and mathematical surface models, the researchers combined motion capture, fluoroscopic image matching and computational wear simulations to create patient‑specific virtual knees. The approach produced simulated wear patterns that matched recovered implants—predicting the worst wear locations and maximum wear depth to within 0.3 mm—demonstrating a promising tool to improve implant design and surgical positioning.

University of Florida

B.J. Fregly

Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering