Innovative Stent Test Specimen by Additive Manufacturing for Reliable Mechanical Testing and Simulation

Abstract

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality globally, underscoring the importance of reliable treatments such as cardiovascular stents, which prevent arterial collapse and improve blood flow. Despite their widespread use, stents face challenges in mechanical performance and biological compatibility. This study focuses on the mechanical characterization of biodegradable metallic stents, addressing limitations in current testing methods and simulations. Novel specimen geometries, designed for tensile strength testing, were developed using additive manufacturing (AM) to minimize damage from gripping clamps during testing. Finite element modeling simulations and experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical behavior of stents under ideal and real-world conditions. The results revealed that the values provided by the most common mechanical tests and simulations do not correspond to the actual values of the meshed structure. The proposed geometries demonstrated consistent mechanical behavior, effectively mitigating stress concentrations and enabling reliable data acquisition. These findings highlight the potential of AM in stent testing and validate the integration of experimental and simulation approaches for optimizing stent design and performance. This study establishes a framework for future research aimed at improving stent safety and reliability.