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In this work, the method of electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) was used to fabricate a Cu-based alloy possessing a shape memory effect. Electron beam additive technology is especially relevant for copper and its alloys since the process is carried out in a vacuum, which makes it possible to circumvent oxidation. The main purpose of the study was to establish the influence of the printing parameters on the structure of the obtained products, their phase composition, mechanical properties, dry friction behavior, and the structure-phase gradient that formed in Cu–Al–Mn alloy samples during electron beam layer-by-layer printing. The results of the study allowed us to reveal that the structure-phase composition, the mechanical properties, and the tribological performance of the fabricated material are mainly affected by the magnitude of heat input during electron beam additive printing of Cu–Al–Mn alloy. High heat input values led to the formation of the β1′ + α decomposed structure. Low heat input values enabled the suppression of decomposition and the formation of an ordered 1 structure. The microhardness values were distributed on a gradient from 2.0 to 2.75 GPa. Fabricated samples demonstrated different behaviors in friction and wear depending on their composition and structure, with the value of the friction coefficient lying in the range between 0.1 and 0.175.

Arthritis is a degenerative disease that primarily affects the cartilage and meniscus of the knee joint. External acoustic stimulation is used to treat this disease. This article presents a numerical model of the knee joint aimed at the computer-aided study of the regenerative effects of shockwave treatment. The presented model was verified and validated. A numerical analysis of the conditions for the regeneration of the tissues of the knee joint under shockwave action was conducted. The results allow us to conclude that to obtain the conditions required for the regeneration of cartilage tissues and meniscus (compressive stresses above the threshold value of 0.15 MPa to start the process of chondrogenesis; distortional strains above the threshold value of 0.05% characterized by the beginning of the differentiation of the tissues in large volumes; fluid pressure corresponding to the optimal level of 68 kPa to transfer tissue cells in large volumes), the energy flux density of therapeutic shockwave loading should exceed 0.3 mJ/mm2.