Modernization of Servohydraulic Testing Machines at EndoLab
Mechanical components in testing machines are usually robustly constructed and perform their duties over many years, even decades. One problem, however, is the fast ongoing development in the areas of electronics and software. ZwickRoell, a leading global supplier of testing machines, provides modernizations not only for ZwickRoell machines, but also for machines from other manufacturers.
An example is the modernization of two testing machines from a third-party manufacturer that are used at EndoLab. The company is one of the largest testing laboratories and has been performing fatigue tests on medical components for over 25 years. In addition to hip, shoulder and ankle joint implants, testing is also performed on dental implants. Through chewing movements, these implants are exposed to considerable forces from different angles, and are subject to extremely high quality requirements, as is the case for all medical products. The implants are made of pure titanium.
For fatigue testing to ISO 14801 to determine the fatigue strength of artificial dental implants and prefabricated implant abutments the company uses servohydraulic testing machines. To modernize both third-party testing machines, ZwickRoell replaced the existing electronics with the Control Cube Servo Controller. Combined with the corresponding testing software Cubus, it is the ideal solution for new testing systems and for retrofitting existing servohydraulic testing systems with multiaxial applications. Impressive features of the Cubus software platform include outstanding versatility and an extremely user-friendly operating concept, especially important when faced with frequently changing testing requirements. Corresponding testing programs are available from configuration of the test stand, to cyclic single stage tests and block diagrams, to advanced applications.
