Glenna, Cole S2020-05-042020-05-042020-05-01https://hdl.handle.net/11299/213035Mechanical Engineering in Swenson College of Science and EngineeringThis research investigated the mechanical properties of 3D modeled hernia meshes and compared them to traditional woven and knitted surgical hernia meshes. The ultimate tensile strength of the hernia meshes varied from 7.7 to 23.1 MPa depending on which direction and which geometrical design. The yield strength of the 3D modeled hernia meshes varied from 4.6 to 16.3 MPa. The stiffness varied from 190 to 770 N/mm. The breaking strain varied from 0.91%-6.0%. The tensile strength was very similar to the six common surgical hernia meshes and mostly showed superiority in strength. The stiffness and breaking strain were quite different in the study compared to the common surgical hernia meshes. The overall project objective was to conclude if this manufacturing technique is more effective and could be a viable option for other long-term implantable devices rather than just surgical meshes. The superiority in the strength of the 3D modeled meshes is promising but does not provide sufficient evidence if 3D printed meshes would be better than traditionally manufactured meshes. More research is needed, including in-person tensile testing and in-vivo proof of concepts.enUniversity of Minnesota Duluth3D PrintingSurgical Hernia MeshesMechanical PropertiesUndergraduate Research Opportunities ProgramSwenson College of Science and EngineeringDepartment of Mechanical and Industrial EngineeringScholarly Text or Essay