Achieving a high standard of manufacturing quality for medical hypodermic needles is needed to ensure patient comfort and enable practitioners to accurately deploy and extract fluids with a syringe. During the product development process, needles can be subjected to flexure, tensile, and puncture tests to reach this required level of production consistency. Using ADMET testing equipment helps you perform these tests with accuracy while lowering your product development and manufacturing costs.
Flexure test: This measures the stiffness of the needle which helps predict how likely the needle is to permanently bend, or deform, when used. Commonly, the needle is loaded onto a 3-point-bend fixture (pictured below). The top of the fixture, attached to a load cell, pushes down on the center of the needle at a specified speed and distance to create the necessary amount of bend on the needle. The test data is then collected and calculations such as Young’s Modulus are performed. For exact specifications on needle flexure tests, please refer to ASTM F1874 or the appropriate ASTM/ISO standard. These of tests normally require the following equipment:
- A 3-point-bend fixture. ADMET offers a full range of bend fixtures.
- A machine frame and load cell capable of applying enough downward force on the sample to create the required bend. Choose between the eXpert 5600, 7600, and 2600 depending on your force and space requirements.
- A testing controller capable of controlling the frames actuator at the speed and distance required by the specification and gather test data to perform calculations such as Young’s Modulus. ADMET’s MTESTQuattro PC-based controller will automatically calculate Young’s Modulus.
Tensile test: This measures the fundamental integrity, or strength, of the needle which helps predict how the specimen will react to tensile forces and recognize weak points along the specimen. Commonly, the needle is secured at each end by a manual or pneumatic vice grip. Once the specimen is secured, the grip connected to the load cell and actuator is separated, at a specified rate, from the grip connected to the base of the frame until the needle breaks (rupture). For exact specifications on tension tests for hypodermic needles, please refer to ASTM A908 or the appropriate ASTM/ISO standard. These of tests normally require the following equipment:
- A pair of vice grips with appropriately serrated faces to prevent the needle from slipping. ADMET offers a full range of manual and pneumatic vice grips.
- A machine frame and load cell capable of applying enough tensile force to bring the sample to a clean break. Choose between the eXpert 5600, 7600, and 2600 depending on your force and space requirements.
- A testing controller capable of moving the grips at the specified rate, identify peak load, and record test data. Both MTESTQuattro PC-based controller and eP2 Digital controller offer this capability.
Puncture test: This tests the sharpness of the needle point and the uniformity of the needle tube by measuring the amount of force needed to puncture, penetrate, and extract the needle from tissue. The test procedure normally begins by securing the blunt end of the needle to a grip and load cell. The actuator, which holds the needle, is then moved to puncture, penetrate, and remove the needle from a fixture holding a stretched material designed to replicate tissue. For exact specifications on needle puncture tests, please refer to ASTM F2132 or the appropriate ASTM/ISO standard. These of tests normally require the following equipment:
- A grip capable of firmly securing the needle and a fixture to hold a stretched, tissue-like material. ADMET offers a full range of grips and fixtures.
- A machine frame providing the required amount of travel and a low capacity load cell capable of providing the required sensitivity for more complete data. Choose between the eXpert 5600, 7600, and 2600 depending on your force and space requirements.
- A testing controller capable of moving the actuator at the specified rate and displaying graphical test results. MTESTQuattro PC-based controller offers advanced analysis, calculation and graphing features in real time.
ADMET offers a full range of fixtures, frames, and controllers to help you solve your testing needs. If you would like to request a quote or have any questions about ADMET testing systems for hypodermic needles or any other application, please don’t hesitate to contact us via phone, email, or the buttons at the top right of this page.
