Effects of Wire Contact Conditions On the Bending And Torsion Behaviors of Metal Wire Braids

Braided metal wire-reinforced polymer composite is widely used in minimally invasive medical devices. Bending and torsion stiffness are two of the most important performance parameters. Braid wire structures are expected to have significant effects on these two parameters.

Using finite element analysis, we studied the effects of wire contact conditions on the bending and torsion behaviors of pure braids. Two contact conditions of wire braid, free and fully tied, were considered.

The results show that under free contact conditions, both bending stiffness and torsional stiffness decrease with braid pick count; bending stiffness and torsional stiffness increase under fully tied contact conditions with braid pick count.

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