AAA model for fatigue testing

摘要

The present invention is directed to the fabrication of a test apparatus and the test apparatus itself. The test apparatus is designed to be a component used in a durability/fatigue testing unit. One such test apparatus made in accordance with the present invention is a life-size model of an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm made with any rapid prototyping process that creates solid freeform parts with flexible material. A preferred rapid prototyping process used to make the AAA model in accordance with the present invention is the process known as selective laser sintering (SLS), while the preferred material used in said process is an elastomeric polymer.