Heart Pacemaker Testing

The Challenge

A pacemaker is a small electronic device, implanted under a patient’s collarbone, which helps a patient’s heart beat more regularly. It's composed of three main parts: a pulse generator, one or more leads, and an electrode on each lead. The pulse generator consists of a small case that contains circuitry, a battery, and a computer chip that regulates the electrical impulses sent to the heart. The lead is an insulated wire that connects to the pulse generator and extends to one of the heart’s chambers. The electrode on the end of the lead makes contact with the heart wall and is responsible for the delivery of electrical impulses to the patient’s heart. Considering that each component of a pacemaker is critical to its function, all three components must undergo rigorous testing. The variety of tests, including shear testing on the microelectronic components, compression testing on the battery, and tensile testing on the leads, can be challenging to meet with just one system.

The Instron^® 6800 Series test systems, with Bluehill^® Universal software and TestProfiler module, represent the most capable of Universal Testing Machines on the market today. Software flexibility gives users the ability to program a multitude of different methods with simplicity, including tensile, flex, compression, peel, tear, and friction. In addition, Instron’s Engineered Solutions Group has partnered with a number of electronics companies and medical device companies to develop specialized fixtures, including special shear clamps and micro bend fixtures. In addition, we recommend using pneumatic cord and yarn grips for tensile testing leads.