Material Testing: Artificial Heart Valve
A medical device manufacturer needed to test a heart valve material for long term fatigue. They wanted to duplicate the heart beat profile to simulate actual conditions. Because SMAC actuators can be programmed to develop the heart beat motion profile, they were a perfect choice for the application. By measuring the force used to stretch the material to the prescribed length, the gradual degradation of the material could be continuously monitored.
Key Operational Details
- Each finger is driven by an independent linear actuator
- Each finger is programmable in position and force
SMAC Advantages
- Independently operated fingers means that parts need not be precisely centered
- Complicated motion profiles can be generated to accurately simulate heartbeats
- Force can be monitored, so as the material degrades the resulting change in force as the material is exercised can be used to indicate a failure mode without stopping the test
Similar Applications
- Creep tests for material under temperature and time parameters
- Human motion simulation for carpal tunnel checks