Bionix® Orthopaedic Subsystems
Test fixtures for testing orthopaedic specimens on Bionix servohydraulic load frames

Orthopaedic researchers and productdevelopers around the world leverage
MTS’ leading capabilities in precisioncontrol and multiaxial test and simulation
to meet their toughest testing challenges.
In order to accurately perform kinematics
research or evaluation of implantabledevices, proper systems for gripping thespecimen and creating the desired test
environment are required.

MTS offers a variety of modular andscalable Bionix Orthopaedic Subsystems
that are designed to facilitate a widevariety of orthopaedic kinematics
studies, including spine, knee, hip orother areas of the musculoskeletal
system. In combination with MTS’
Bionix Tabletop Servohydraulic Test
Systems, FlexTest® Controllers and MTS
software, these subsystems comprisecomplete, out-of-the-box solutions for
all your biomechanical research needs.

Knee Wear Subsystem
The Bionix Knee Wear Subsystem isdesigned for use with the axial/torsional
Bionix load frame and FlexTest controller.
It performs active flexion testing with six
degrees of freedom. The six degrees are:
» Axial loading to 5 kN

When paired with the Bionix load frame
and a FlexTest controller configured forfour-channel operation, the systemprovides biomechanically related
displacements and loads for various
physical duty cycles.

» Torsion (tibial rotation >20°)» Flexion/extension up to 120°
» Shear (anterior-posterior shearing
to 20 mm)
» Varus/valgus alignment (free-floating)» Medial/lateral (free-floating)
The following activities can be
programmed in combination:» Level walking» Stair descending/ascending» Sitting down/rising from a chair
A chamber and catch basin are included
so that in-vivo conditions can be simulatedwith optional 37°C temperature control.

Bionix Knee Wear Subsystem

Femoral Fatigue Subsystem
The Bionix Femoral Fatigue Subsystem wasdesigned to meet current ASTM and ISO
test criteria for femoral stem components
of hip replacements. The specific test
references are: ASTM 1440 – “CycleFatigue Testing of Metallic Stemmed Hip
Arthroplasty Femoral Stem Components”
and ISO 7206-4 – “Determination ofendurance properties of stemmed
femoral components.”
With this economically priced fixture,
this axial-only test can be performed on
any Bionix system. The fixture includes
the load cell adapter, potting cup base,chamber and seals, chamber holder andthrust bearing and lower housing assembly.

Bionix Femoral Fatigue Subsystem

2Using the FlexTest controller, the operator
can design the required loading anddisplacement profiles to evaluate the wear
characteristics of designs and materials.

Single-Station (Biaxial Rocking Hip)
Simulator Subsystem
Built for use with an MTS Bionix
axial-rotation system, the Bionix
Single-Station Simulator Subsystemprovides biaxial rocking motion thatsimulates exaggerated walking
kinematics. While axially loaded, thefixture design simulates the motions, loadand environment that the implanted hip
will experience during the walking
process. It provides a realistic andpractical compromise between general
wear-screening devices and the intensive
research done with full-scale simulationand modeling using multichannel Bionix
test systems.
It is designed for nominal operation at
the approximate walking speed cycle of
1 Hz. Rotation of the fixture provides thesimulation motion (biaxial rocking). It
uses continuous rotation of an inclined

block to achieve a mechanically induced
extension/flexion, adduction/abduction
and internal/external rotation for the hiparthroplasty components.
The fixture includes a pin bearing
assembly, chamber and base, alignment
fixture, anti-rotate device, and a universal
mounting pattern for cup and ball hip
implant. The system is designed toaccommodate loads up to 5000 N.
Special corrosion-resistant fluid chambers
house the acetabulum cup or femoral
head. These are designed to be filled withbovine serum maintained at a temperatureof 37°C.
A special alignment fixture assuresproper positioning of the femoral balland acetabulum cup during setup andthroughout the test.

Bionix Single-Station (Biaxial Rocking Hip)
Simulator Subsystem

Single-Station, Multi-Degree-of-Freedom
Hip Wear Subsystem
The four degree-of-freedom Bionix Hip
Wear Subsystem was designed to provide
researchers with a tool for long-term testsof hip replacement wear and fatigue. Its
unique design, coupled with a Bionix
axial-torsion test system, achieves thefollowing motions:» Flexion/extension (120°)» Abduction/adduction (60° – medial/lateral motion)» Internal/external rotation (greaterthan 20°)
These motions are achieved by the fixture’s
special double-yoke design which provides
independently controlled, synchronizedmotion. The following activities can be
programmed in combination:» Level walking» Descending/ascending stairs» Sitting down and rising from a chair
The fixture requires a FlexTest fourchannel software configuration to achieve
the necessary test control and dataacquisition.

Bionix Single-Station, Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Hip Wear Subsystem

3

The Rest of the Solution
VER S ATILE MO D EL 370.0 2 BASE
L O A D FRA ME SY S TEMThese modular orthopaedic subsystems
are integrated into a versatile Bionix
servohydraulic test system, which makes
the latest MTS servohydraulic technology
available in a compact tabletop design.
The axial/torsional configuration is well
suited for testing the durability and wear
properties of components such as knee,
hip and spine implants, and conducting
simple to very complex kinematics
studies of skeletal tissue and otherorthopaedic constructs. The axial
configuration is designed to performaccurate and repeatable fatigue life studies,and tension, bending and compression
tests of biomaterials and components.
F LEXTES T D IG ITA L CONTROL S

The FlexTest family of digital controllers
provides the flexibility required to addressa full spectrum of testing needs and adapt
to evolving standards and requirements.
Scalable and easy to use, FlexTest
controllers provide the high-speed
closed-loop control, data acquisition
function generation and transducer
conditioning needed for reliable,
multichannel, multistation testing.

INTUITIVE T E ST SO F T WA RE

Bionix orthopaedic subsystems operate
on MTS multipurpose testing software,
which provides a powerful, versatile anduser-friendly environment for managing
every aspect of your test. Easily orchestratesuch processes as function generation,
image capture, data acquisition, data
correlation, and events and triggers – allwith drag-and-drop simplicity, and allfrom within a single user environment.
QUIET AND CO M PA CT H PU S

MTS SilentFlo™ hydraulic power units(HPUs) are recognized for their superior
performance, small footprint and extremely
low noise. They are so compact and quiet
that they can easily be installed almost
anywhere in your laboratory. A “wallhugging” design also conserves floor space.

MTS Systems Corporation
14000 Technology Drive
Eden Prairie, MN 55344-2290 USA
Telephone: 1-952-937-4000
Toll Free: 1-800-328-2255
E-mail: info@mts.com
www.mts.com
ISO 9001 Certified QMS

Unparalleled Global Support
MTS fields the largest, most experienced
worldwide service, support and consulting
staff of any testing solution provider. This
global team offers lifecycle management
services, test consulting, systems
integration/installation expertise andclassroom or on-site training.
For More Information
To discuss your specific testing needs,
e-mail info@mts.com or contact yourMTS sales representative.

Specifications subject to change without notice.
MTS, Bionix and FlexTest are registered trademarks andSilentFlo is a trademark of MTS Systems Corporation within
the United States. These trademarks may be protected in othercountries. RTM No. 211177.
©2023 MTS Systems Corporation
100-229-143b BionixOrthopaedic • Printed in U.S.A. • 10/23