Measurement of forces exerted by a polymeric shape-memory stent for biomedical applications

This paper aims at describing the dynamic behaviour of polymeric shape-memory stents. In particular, considering the recovering phase, measurements have been performed to find a relation between different configurations and forces, which the specimens exerts. Shape memory materials, in fact, can exert a force when recovering their permanent form. An analytic model that describes the shape of an expanding specimen, based on a vision system, has been developed and experimentally calibrated. A measurement device has been specially designed to measure forces, which the expanding specimen exerts . This device is based on six trolleys free to fall, frictionless, thanks to pneumostatic bearing, on an inclined rail. So entity of the force applied on a shape memory specimen, constant along the whole movement, is determined by the inclination of the guide.