Team 102 aims to enhance the performance of Exactech's reversible stemless shoulder implant, the Equinoxe. The focus is on its arm component to address common issues of dislodgement from the bone. This dislodgment often leads to implant failure. The shoulder joint's mobility and instability contribute to a significant demand for better implant designs. The project emphasizes the importance of the bone-implant interface for stability and longevity. The project involves designing, machining, and testing an equivalent model of the Equinox, along with two alternative designs. This helps determine which design best resists the specific rocking moment failure identified by Exactech.

To accomplish this, the team developed a test stand that applies force via a lever arm. This lever arm was used to create a substantial moment. This setup includes a rotary table to assess the impact of the best and worst force geometry alignments on the implants. The team then subjected the implants to fatigue testing. This testing was done by repeatedly applying a load to simulate long-term use. They conducted these tests on bone substitute materials of varying densities. This was done to measure each implant's ultimate moment to failure. The number of fatigue cycles it withstands was also measured. This was measured at a specified percentage of that ultimate moment. These metrics will help identify the superior design and fulfill the project's objective.

The evaluation encompasses testing in bone block substitutes of 10, 15, and 20 cubic foot pounds. The evaluation also involves testing the designs in two geometric alignments. These alignments are directly in line with a fin and between two fins. This strategy aims to simulate the best and worst-case loading scenarios for each implant design. This provided a comprehensive assessment of their performance.