Case Study: KU Leuven achieves automated, scalable FEA and clearer insights into short‑stem femoral implant stress shielding with Materialise's Mimics Innovation Suite

Automating Key Components of Finite Element Research

KU Leuven researchers needed to assess how a commercially available calcar‑guided short stem hip implant performs across a wide range of femur geometries, but creating the large number of patient‑specific finite element models required was time‑consuming. To automate mesh generation, assembly creation and material assignment from CT data, the team turned to Materialise and used the Mimics Innovation Suite with Python scripting and FEA capabilities.

Materialise’s automated workflow produced surface and volume meshes, sized and aligned implant CAD files, and assigned material properties from CT to build 18 representative finite element models (selected from 96 femurs); loads for walking and stair climbing were then analyzed in Abaqus. Using Materialise’s solution, the team quantified changes in strain energy density pre‑ and post‑implantation, found the greatest stress shielding in the calcar‑medial zone, identified neck‑shaft angle as the most influential parameter, and could study a larger, more representative population than before.

KU Leuven

Pim Pellikaan

Biomechanics Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering