Extending Pointe shoe Lifespan
My test setup included a fixture supporting the two ends of the shank and a metal rod on an Instron 1125 UTM which applied a fixed displacement.
Watching the Instron do its thing.
What is it?
As part of 2.671 (Measurement and Instrumentation) spring 2019, I designed and conducted a series of three-point bending tests to determine the best adhesive for increasing the stiffness of pointe shoe shanks. The shank of a pointe shoe is the portion of the sole that supports the ballet dancer’s arch and body weight. Through cyclically measuring force required to apply a fixed displacement, I concluded treating a shank with cyanoacrylate adhesive increases stiffness by 10.1 ± 1.5 N/mm while treating a shank with epoxy adhesive increases stiffness by 2.3 ± 1.7 N/mm. This aligns with and validates current best practices for ballet dancers in the field.
How did You contribute?
I worked with the lab staff and metrology instructors at MIT to design, set up, and collect data for my experiments. This involved conducting mechanical force testing and utilizing engineering statistics, MATLAB, and technical writing skills. You can read my final paper here.
Biggest Takeaways:
Figure out how you will answer your research question with the data you’re collecting before you start collecting it.
Sample size and consistent experimental setup are crucial elements to statistical significance and accuracy of results
Tying in a lifelong passion (dance) to an academic pursuit (mechanical engineering) makes everything twice as fun!
