Development a novel fatigue testing apparatus for artificial hip joint femur stem

Abstract

Fatigue is a key factor of the reliability of orthopaedic implants, i. e. artificial joints. In this study, a new apparatus for the fatigue testing of artificial hip joints is developed. Via this apparatus, validation tests are performed on the stemmed femoral component according to the ISO7206 standard. And through coordinate measuring machine (CMM), the deformation of the specimen is measured during the procedure. Meanwhile, the 3D virtual prototype was reestablished. Moreover, finite element analysis (FEM) is performed and the results agreed well with the test results. After 5 millions running cycles, the apparatus ran smoothly and uneventfully, which reached the original design requirements. By using this apparatus, an effective testing method for the fatigue evaluation of artificial hip joints can be achieved.