The failure behavior and mechanical properties of soft tissue can be characterized by conducting uniaxial tensile tests on small sectioned specimens, called test coupons. An ideal coupon geometry for tensile testing is a dumbbell shape (dog-bone), yet the cost and time required to fabricate custom steel punches to cut dumbbell-shaped coupons has hindered their universal application in biomechanics research. In this study, we developed an economical and reliable cutting device that can extract dumbbell-shaped coupons from soft biological tissue. The novel device, called Print-A-Punch, uses three-dimensional (3D) printed components in combination with standard fasteners and replaceable flexible razors. We identified design factors that influence the dimensional accuracy and symmetry of elastomer coupons extracted using this cutting device, and demonstrated its use on bovine meniscus. Advantages of this 3D printed device include a fast fabrication time, low material cost, good accuracy, replaceable blades, and an ability to scale coupon dimensions for specific tissues and experiments. By reducing the cost and time to cut accurate dumbbell-shaped coupons, this technology can facilitate the broad adoption of standard test methods that improve the quality and reproducibility of tensile tests in soft biological tissue. Researchers can freely download a set of STL files from this study to build their own Print-A-Punch device (https://boisestate.edu/coen-ntm/technology/print-a-punch).

软组织的破坏行为和机械性能可以通过对小切片试样（称为试样）进行单轴拉伸试验来表征。用于拉伸试验的理想试样几何形状是哑铃形状（狗骨），但制造定制钢冲头以切割哑铃形试样所需的成本和时间阻碍了它们在生物力学研究中的普遍应用。在这项研究中，我们开发了一种经济可靠的切割装置，可以从软生物组织中提取哑铃形试样。这种名为 Print-A-Punch 的新型设备使用三维 (3D) 打印组件、标准紧固件和可更换的柔性剃须刀。我们确定了影响使用该切割装置提取的弹性体试样尺寸精度和对称性的设计因素，并展示了其在牛半月板中的应用。这种 3D 打印设备的优点包括制造时间快、材料成本低、精度高、刀片可更换，以及能够为特定组织和实验调整试样尺寸。通过降低切割精确哑铃形试样的成本和时间，该技术可以促进标准测试方法的广泛采用，从而提高软生物组织拉伸测试的质量和可重复性。研究人员可以从这项研究中免费下载一组 STL 文件来构建他们自己的 Print-A-Punch 设备 (https://boisestate.edu/coen-ntm/technology/print-a-punch)。以及为特定组织和实验缩放试样尺寸的能力。通过降低切割精确哑铃形试样的成本和时间，该技术可以促进标准测试方法的广泛采用，从而提高软生物组织拉伸测试的质量和可重复性。研究人员可以从这项研究中免费下载一组 STL 文件来构建他们自己的 Print-A-Punch 设备 (https://boisestate.edu/coen-ntm/technology/print-a-punch)。以及为特定组织和实验缩放试样尺寸的能力。通过降低切割精确哑铃形试样的成本和时间，该技术可以促进标准测试方法的广泛采用，从而提高软生物组织拉伸测试的质量和可重复性。研究人员可以从这项研究中免费下载一组 STL 文件来构建他们自己的 Print-A-Punch 设备 (https://boisestate.edu/coen-ntm/technology/print-a-punch)。