01Overview
As an R&D Engineering Intern at Apreo Health, I lead development of standardized tensile test methods for a clinical-stage medical device, establishing repeatable procedures to support design validation and future commercialization.
02The Challenge
Device verification and commercialization depend on test data that other engineers can trust and reproduce. That meant the fixtures and procedures used to pull tensile-test specimens needed to be repeatable, easy to set up correctly, and compatible with design-for-manufacturability principles from the start — not just accurate for a single test run.
03My Role
- Lead development of standardized tensile test methods for a clinical-stage medical device.
- Design and manufacture custom test fixtures using design-for-manufacturability principles.
- Iterate fixture concepts using 3D-printed prototypes and experimental testing to improve fit, usability, and test repeatability.
- Analyze test data and communicate findings to guide design decisions.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, quality, and regulatory teams.
04Engineering Process
Fixture development follows the same loop for each iteration: define the test method requirements, concept a fixture, model it, print or machine a prototype, run it against real specimens, and fold what I learn back into the next revision.
05Design Decisions
Fixture design decisions are guided by design-for-manufacturability principles, balancing manufacturability, repeatability, and usability for whoever runs the test next. Add specific tradeoffs here as you're able to share them without disclosing proprietary design details.
06Testing / Validation
Fixture concepts are evaluated through 3D-printed prototypes and experimental testing, checking fit, usability, and repeatability before a design is adopted as the standard method. Test data is analyzed and used to guide further design decisions.
07Outcome
Standardized tensile test methods and fixtures support design validation and give the team repeatable procedures ahead of future commercialization work. This section is set up for measurable results — add them here as they're finalized and shareable.
08What I Learned
Add a short technical reflection here — what changed in how you approach fixture design, test repeatability, or cross-functional collaboration with quality and regulatory teams.