title: Mechanical evaluation of aluminum alloy ring fixator.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the homemade ring fixator as a tool for correction of bony deformity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors developed an aluminum alloy ring fixator and tested it to find out the accuracy of manufacturing and strength of the ring systems under axial load with the Roundness Testing Machine and Lloyd Universal Testing Machine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean diameter of the twenty five-drill holes was 6.5843872 +/- 0.0521594 mm (mean +/- SD). Distance between particular drill holes, which reflected the precision of drilling, had a high accuracy with standard deviation from 0.1138 to 0.1870 mm. The roundness of the rings was 0.2421376 +/- 0.12437977 mm (mean +/- SD). The system structure had minimal permanent deformity at breaking point, mean yield strength of the system was 4786.9 +/- 14.353 N (mean +/- SD). This was caused by the failure of the wire. Mean stiffness of the system was 127 N./mm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aluminum alloy ring fixator was strong enough and well tolerated for clinical usage
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Department, Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somboon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tosborvorn
authors.forename: Sukrom
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheechareon
authors.forename: Kittiput
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruttanuchun
authors.forename: Suparerk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sirivedin
authors.forename: Chaitawat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rhienumporn
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys; D000535:Aluminum; D009984:Orthopedic Fixation Devices; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D000535:Aluminum