|
The study of novel biomaterials and tissue-engineered products remains at the forefront of research around the world. Bone; soft tissues such as tendon, ligament, skin, muscle or arteries; replacement biomaterials; and engineered tissues and scaffolds are mechanically tested to determine properties or characterize them. Testing can range from simple tensile, compression or flexure, to dynamic characterization using fatigue instruments, through to complex planar biaxial testing.
|
Implantable devices take many forms from cardiovascular, endovascular, neurovascular stenting and associated delivery systems to heart valves and pacemakers, through to auditory and ocular implants, such as intraocular or contact lenses. Mechanical testing takes many forms, from static tensile or compressive testing of the constituent metals and alloys, compression or flexural testing of complete devices, through to fatigue of stent materials and dynamic simulation of pressure pulsation.
|
Dental adhesives, amalgams, porcelains, polymers and ceramics undergo testing in vitro to determine their performance for use in restorative and prosthetic dentistry. Dental implants are fatigue tested to determine their long term performance when implanted within the oral cavity.
|
|
Medical consumables and equipment includes syringes, needles, sutures, staples, packaging, tubing, catheters, medical gloves, gowns, masks, adhesives and sealants for wound dressing and a whole host of other devices and tools used with a hospital or surgical environment. Depending on the device, mechanical testing can be carried out in tensile, compression or flexure, in dynamic or fatigue, or impact or with the application of torsion.
|
Instron has considerable experience of mechanical testing in orthopaedics: from basic static testing of raw materials, to impact loading of joint components, through to complete simulation for evaluating the fatigue and wear properties in vivo. Through every phase of implant development, our solutions meet a vast array of demands found within the orthopaedics field. These include hip and knee implants, spinal devices, and medical devices for trauma and osteosynthesis.
|
Instron has a varied portfolio of machines for testing of medical devices and biomaterials in tension, compression, bend, shear, peel, tear, cyclic and fatigue.
|
Over the past decade, the medical device and biomaterials industries have undergone tremendous amounts of innovation and change. Materials and technologies have evolved to the point where surgeons are placing small metal stents weighing only a few grams into the neurovascular system to avoid stroke types of ailments caused by plaque or arterial build-up.
Correspondingly, there have been substantial increases in regulatory involvement to ensure safety and efficacy in all devices. These evolutions have translated into a growing requirement for full evaluation of products from concept to product. Physical testing and Finite Element Analysis (FEA) have become commonplace among the research arms of medical device manufacturers around the world.
Instron® has been here since 1946 to provide testing systems and solutions for research, production, development, and quality packaging throughout the industry. From assistance in the creation of testing standard through committees at ISO and ASTM to collaborative projects at strategic universities, we continue to strive to provide cutting-edge systems and fixtures for future-looking research organizations, as well as standard systems for production processes found in quality assurance and control laboratories.