Bioengineering lab
Bioengineering test facilities
State-of-the-art equipment for the pre-clinical assessment of orthopaedic joints is available in the bioengineering laboratories at Durham University for the evaluation of novel knee, hip and ankle joints. There are dedicated laboratories including a dedicated metrology laboratory with an Atomic Force Microscope and a Zygo 3D Profilometer for high accuracy, non contact, 3D metrology of surface features. The School of Engineering and Computing Sciences also features extensive material test facilities that include Instron machines for tension, compression and fatigue testings.
Equipment
- Hip wear simulator
- Knee wear simulators
- Ankle wear simulation
Hip wear simulator
The group has a ProSim Five-station Hip Wear Simulator capable of complying with ISO testing standards. Empirical data generated by these simulators supports the contention that the patterns of wear generated in these simulators accurately mirrors that of the wear of hip implants in vivo. This is due to the accurate imitation of in-vivo hip joint loading and movement on three axes. A wide range of articulation and load can be programmed. Furthermore, microseparation has been incorporated into the cycle.
Recent work has covered testing of metal-on-metal, ceramic-on-ceramic and metal-on- polymer hip implants.
The metrology laboratory, with AFM and a Zygo 3D Optical Surface Profilers, is available to complement the standard gravimetric measurement of wear. These instruments have proven to be essential for the evaluation of novel hip implants as the amount of wear, under standard gait conditions, can be very low.
Knee wear simulators
The group has a ProSim Six-station Knee Wear Simulator capable of complying with ISO testing standards for the reliable testing of knee implants. The range of forces and motions experienced by knee implants are accurately simulated. The simulator can be set to replicate the more aggressive conditions that are generated by younger active patients.
The Prosim Knee Wear Simulator includes multi-axes articulation (i.e. flexion/extension, anterior/posterior displacement, internal/external tibial rotation, abduction and adduction) and an user programmable loading of up to 4.5 kN per station. The simulator also benefits from many other features in order to generate clinically and physiologically representative conditions.
SEM and optical imaging is available to complement the gravimetric testing.
Ankle wear simulation
This is available through an adaptation of the ProSim Knee Simulator
Biomechanical Materials testing facilities
State-of-the-art equipment for the extensive evaluation of material properties of hard and soft biomaterials, porous materials, polymers and metals are available. The main two instruments for tension, compression and fatigue evaluation were manufactured by Instron. A polymer moulding machine is also available. A dedicated metrology laboratory with an Atomic Force Microscope and a Zygo 3D Profilometer is also on hand in the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences.
Equipment
- Tensile and compression testing
- High-cycle fatigue testing
- Polymer moulding machine
Tensile and compression testing
The group has an Instron 5565 Universal Testing Instrument with advanced video extensometer for high accuracy tensile and compression testing. If required the instrument can also be used for inter alia bend and tear tests. Our versatile instrument is able to test up to 5kN. Recent experience within the group includes the testing of soft tissues, composites, metals, polymers and porous materials.
SEM and optical imaging are available to complement and interpret the mechanical data.
High-cycle fatigue testing
An ElectroPuls Dynamic Test System is available. It is the state-of-the-art electrodynamic test instrument designed for dynamic and static testing of a wide range of materials and components. The high dynamic performance is capable of greater than 100 Hz operation.
Polymer moulding machine
Production of customised polymer components can be undertaken using a 50 ton pneumatic heat press. This provides capability to evaluate novel as-polymerised materials and also enables investigations into the effect of moulding conditions upon mechanical performance.
Research and consultancy
The group is willing to provide help to industry in many forms from one-off investigations through to extensive consultancies and collaborations based upon our many years of experience in mechanical testing and in the interpretation of results. Also the imaging facilities are highly relevant to material structure evaluation.
Contact details of Service Manager for the Biomechanical Materials Testing Facilities
Dr Jun Jie Wu
Tel + 44(0)191 334 2440 Email junjie.wu@durham.ac.uk
Pdf files containing further further information can be downloaded here.
- Bioengineeringtestfacilities.pdf (last modified: 7 October 2010)
- Biomechanicalmaterialstesting.pdf (last modified: 7 October 2010)
