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Environmental fatigue testing of molded plastics for prosthetic heart valves

A plastics fatigue-testing machine was developed to evaluate implantable polymers by statistically testing samples in controlled fluid environments

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Abstract

A testing machine was designed specifically to study fatigue behavior of molded polymeric materials by subjecting multiple cantilever specimens to vibratory fluid loading. The fluid loading permits aqueous or other environments, facilitates temperature control, and makes possible high testing frequencies. Samples of fifteen to thirty specimens may be tested simultaneously to obtain statistical data. Example results are presented showing Weibull distributions fitted to polymethyl methacrylate fatigue-life data. A statistical criterion was used to verify that scatter, due to the machine and testing technique, was not excessive.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo

    O. A. Pringle (Associate Professor)

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisc

    R. J. Harker (Professor)

Authors
  1. O. A. Pringle
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  2. R. J. Harker
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Pringle, O.A., Harker, R.J. Environmental fatigue testing of molded plastics for prosthetic heart valves. Experimental Mechanics 9, 171–178 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02326566

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02326566

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