There is an amazing variety of soft tissues in the human body and replacement tissues must therefore withstand a similarly impressive range of loads, stresses and strains. One of the most common loading conditions experienced by biological soft tissues is a tensile stretching force. Skin, tendons, ligaments, the heart, other internal organs, and even the ocular lens constantly experience in-plane tensile forces. To develop treatment options and the next generation of synthetic and engineered tissues, mechanical testing is necessary to completely characterize the mechanical behavior of native tissues. Material behavior can also give insight to material structure and composition, which benefits the development of engineered tissues matching the native tissue properties. Typical test machines for tensile testing of biological soft tissues include electrodynamic, uniaxial, and planar biaxial machines. Test system configurations must have very high force and strain measurement resolution. Although the testing of natural tissues is inherently specific to the material being tested, ASTM has developed standard test methods in an attempt to establish acceptable test procedures, which provide accurate and reproducible results. With extensive experience in biological tissue testing, we can help configure a test system that is catered to your testing needs. Give our applications engineers a call today!
Applicable Testing Standards
- ASTM F2258 Tensile Strength of Tissue Adhesives Test Equipment
- ASTM F2458 Wound Strength Tissue Adhesives Sealant Test Equipment
Recommended Test Machine
Forces up to 10 kN (2,250 lbf)
Low force tabletop systems
Modular series of five frame options with adjustable test space
Affordable testing option for tension, compression, bend, peel and much more
Load ratings from 2.6 kN to 55 kN (580 lbf to 12,400 lbf)
Frequency ratings up to 15 Hz
Allows for testing a specimen in both x- and y-directions simultaneously
All-electric design ensures clean operation
Static and fatigue forces up to 50 kN (11,250 lbf)
Frequency ratings up to 75 Hz
Oil-free, all electric actuator for clean test conditions
Lower purchase, operating, and maintenance costs than hydraulic equivalents
Force ratings up to 50 kN (11,250 lbf) and torque ratings up to 180 Nm (1,600 lbf∙in) Can apply axial and torsional loads simultaneously Performs both static and dynamic tests All electric and oil-free operation
Recommended Testing Accessories
Rated to 220 N (50 lbf)
Maximum specimen thickness of 8 mm (0.31 in)
Wider model allows for specimens thicknesses up to 46 mm (1.8 in)
Cost effective option for low force testing
Allows for testing in temperature-controlled water or saline solution
PID controlled temperature up to 45°C (113°F)
Size is optimized per application
Accompanied by a broad set of accessories that are designed for biomedical baths