Case Studies

A medical device designer wanted to forecast the creep performance of a plastic part for at least two years. Veryst tested the material using time-temperature superposition to characterize the material’s long-term performance quickly and efficiently to determine if the design performs adequately after two years.

A simple way of mixing small volumes (microliters or milliliters) of reagents is by repeatedly dispensing and withdrawing solution from a microwell or tube. In this case study, we used a two-phase multiphysics simulation with coupled fluid flow and mass transfer to analyze the efficacy of this active mixing process.

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the production of complex lattice structures that cannot feasibly or economically be manufactured any other way. However, there are complicating factors that engineers are likely to confront when designing fine AM lattice structures: geometric inaccuracy and anisotropic material properties.

An adhesive joint was failing in the field. Veryst used DSC to investigate and determined the root cause to be improper curing of the adhesive.

Joining polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene with adhesives can be challenging. Polyolefins have low surface energy, which creates weak bonds between the polyolefin material and the adhesive. Veryst used corona discharge plasma treatment to improve the bond strength and create a more robust joint.

Many additively manufactured polymers exhibit anisotropic mechanical properties which must be accounted for by engineers designing with these materials. This case study illustrates the importance of testing additively manufactured polymers at many orientations to identify the range of isotropic behavior as well as the optimal build orientation.

From smartphones and cameras to wireless headphones and battery packs, portable electronics proliferate. Consumers expect excellent resilience to device drops, increasing pressure on manufacturers to test thoroughly and optimize their designs. Veryst utilized its unique expertise in accurately modeling complex materials, conducting high strain rate testing, and simulating impact events to simulate the drop impact of an external battery pack.

Bioabsorbable materials, such as polylactic acid (PLA), are finding increasing applications in medical devices. These polymers exhibit a nonlinear anisotropic viscoplastic response when deformed, which requires a sophisticated material model for accurate finite element predictions.

Impact modeling of polymers is important given their use in consumer products as both structures and impact protection. Accurate FE models of impact events require high rate testing, advanced modeling, and a thorough understanding of polymer failure.