Improving Quality and Reducing Costs with Theoretical Analysis and Physical Testing

Before a design can move on to the next phase in the design process, it must be properly analyzed and rigorously tested. Failure to test can lead to delays in production, costly recalls, and even worse, failure in the field.

Theoretical Analysis

The best way to confirm the strength of a new design includes a combination of numerical analysis and FEA, in conjunction with physical testing. Physical testing confirms any FEA modeling of new and complex devices and measures the true strength of the design. This physical testing is imperative for regulatory submission and approval.

IDT has extensive experience with linear and non-linear Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in the medical and automotive industries. This step of the process analyzes the strength of the design solution and determines how the device will behave and react under various environmental conditions.

While FEA results are easy to obtain, it’s important to ensure the FEA study is defined correctly:

Correct boundary and load conditions
Correct study and solver conditions
Use of proper mesh density and element type

And finally, FEA results must be reviewed and evaluated for accuracy. They cannot be taken for granted and must be carefully considered.

Physical Testing

IDT works collaboratively with various testing facilities to perform the necessary tests for regulatory submission. We strongly emphasize ideation and design, including both numerical and FEA analysis, before performing physical testing. We take these steps to save your company pre-production costs and reduce time for testing.

Incorrect Laser Etching Can Result in Fatigue Failure

FEA Study Shows the Stress Distribution in the Midsection of a Cervical Plate Without Laser Etching

Low Intensity Laser Etching Does Not Create Any High Stress Concentrations

High Laser Intensity Creates Severe Stress Concentrations (Red Areas Within Letters and Numbers)

Example of Cervical Plate Where the Laser Etching was Done with High Laser Intensity Resulting In Cracking During Fatigue Testing

Different Failure Locations During Insertion of Bone Screws

FEA Study Shows That a Small Diameter Screw Fails Within Thread Area at a Lower Torque, While a Larger Diameter Screw Fails in the Neck Area at a Much Higher Torque

Physical Testing of Small and Large Diameter Screws Shows Breakage at the Same Predicted FEA Locations

Let’s Get Started

Contact IDT to learn more about how we can assist your engineering team and provide a solution to your challenge.