Facility

The Bioengineering Devices Lab (BDL) is one of several labs affiliated with the Bioengineering Program that share lab equipment and space in the Wettaw building.

The lab facility

The lab consists 1400 sq. ft. of space segmented into 3 zones.

1. Surgical zone: 350 sq. ft. dedicated to setting up and simulated endovascular surgeries using realistic, mechanically- and physiologically-matched in vitro “patient” vessel models, a comprehensive blood flow model, with real-time pressure, flow, and fluoroscopic imaging capabilities.
2. Cleanroom zone: 450 sq. ft dedicated to setting up and conducting device manufacturing, particle-free prototyping, chemical, biological, and sterile surgical procedures.
3. Research zone: 600 sq. ft. with 4 sinks (DI and Milli-Q water), 2 polymer/clot formulation fume hoods, 5 large lab benches/bays for in vitro modeling, multi-material vessel-like 3D printing, and advanced computer modeling (PIV, CFD, CAD).
   • Research zone bench 1 is dedicated to the HR2 hybrid DMA-rheometer for temperature-controlled rheology and DMA testing:
     • Catheter/vascular device testing: push-pull, torque, and kink resistance
     • Stent, flow diverter, and mesh device testing: radial force testing
     • Shear and elastic modulus testing
     • Tension testing (up to 500º C)
     • Tribo-rheometry for wear resistance
     • Optics plate – camera for real-time imaging during mechanical testing
     • Magneto-rheology for smart materials and nanoparticle testing
     • Surface tension analysis
     • Fluid and blood/analog testing (viscosity, shear, etc.)

• • Bench 2 & 3 is dedicated to formulating biomaterials (polymer constructs, hydrogels, and shape memory polymers – SMPs)
  • Bench 4 houses multi-material 3D printing equipment and supplies for in vitro vessel model for vascular modeling and endovascular surgical procedure simulations
    • Stratasys ObJet260 Connex3 3D-printer: Multi-material and multi-layering DAP 3D-printer (compatible with over 1000 materials)
    • PolyJet technology (hot-swappable multiple material layering, UV-cured) to create research prototypes, human tissue-like models, and research components
    • Variety of material properties: soft to flexible, transparent to multi-color, and standard use or biocompatible (implantable) applications
    • Layer multiple materials on the same build at up to16-micron layers to create highly-specific finalized research-grade prototypes, realistic vessel models, implants, and precise components
  • Bench 5 includes multiple high-performance computer stations for CFD, PIV, Imaging, and CAD modeling (software: Ansys, Python, MeshMaker, Sim Vascular, MATLAB, LabVIEW, SolidWorks, Photoshop, DICOM, Microsoft Suite etc.)

• • Surgical zone includes full patient simulation, real-time quantitative flow, pressure, force, and shear measurements
    • Comprehensive flow system consisting of ViVitro Superpump: cardiovascular and neurovascular flow modeling
    • Short- and long-term flow modeling with blood analog and sanitization filtration system
    • Heat exchanger and flow reservoir
    • Real-time blood pressure and flow measurement (in-line pressure transducers)
    • 16+ channels of pressure, flow, and temperature monitoring (Ni-DAQ and LabView data acquisition)
    • Real-time particle image velocimetry (PIV) equipment: (Laser fluorescence, controller, and high-speed camera system)
    • Surgical supplies and medical devices (neuro- and cardiovascular catheters, stents, coils, etc.)
    • Sterrad NX plasma sterilizer for low temperature, hydrogen peroxide sterilization for heat-sensitive microcatheter-based systems, sensitive equipment and electronics, and in vitro model supplies

• • Cleanroom zone consists of the following resources:
    • Gowning room and PPE storage: 6’ x 8’ qualified at ISO 7 (Class 10,000)
    • Operations space: 16’ x 12’ with 3 stainless steel operation tables, 2 storage tables, qualified at ISO 7 (Class 10,000)
    • Product protection/assembly hood: 2’ x 4’ qualified ISO 5 (Class 100)