Beta: Bioprinting engineering technology for academia

Higher STEM education is a field of growing potential, but too many middle school and high school students are not testing proficiently in STEM subjects. The BETA team worked to improve biology classroom engagement through the development of technologies for high school biology experiments. The BETA project team expanded functionality of an existing product line to allow for better student and teacher user experience and the execution of more interesting experiments. The BETA project’s first goal was to create a modular incubating Box for the high school classroom. This Box, called the BETA Box was designed with a variety of sensors to allow for custom temperature and lighting environments for each experiment. It was completed with a clear interface to control the settings and an automatic image capture system. The team also conducted a feasibility study on auto calibration and dual-extrusion for SE3D’s existing 3D bioprinter. The findings of this study led to the incorporation of a force sensor for auto calibration and the evidence to support the feasibility of dual extrusion, although further work is needed. These additions to the current SE3D educational product line will increase effectiveness in the classroom and allow the target audience, high school students, to better engage in STEM education activities

Automated sequence and motion planning for robotic spatial extrusion of 3D trusses

While robotic spatial extrusion has demonstrated a new and efficient means to fabricate 3D truss structures in architectural scale, a major challenge remains in automatically planning extrusion sequence and robotic motion for trusses with unconstrained topologies. This paper presents the first attempt in the field to rigorously formulate the extrusion sequence and motion planning (SAMP) problem, using a CSP encoding. Furthermore, this research proposes a new hierarchical planning framework to solve the extrusion SAMP problems that usually have a long planning horizon and 3D configuration complexity. By decoupling sequence and motion planning, the planning framework is able to efficiently solve the extrusion sequence, end-effector poses, joint configurations, and transition trajectories for spatial trusses with nonstandard topologies. This paper also presents the first detailed computation data to reveal the runtime bottleneck on solving SAMP problems, which provides insight and comparing baseline for future algorithmic development. Together with the algorithmic results, this paper also presents an open-source and modularized software implementation called Choreo that is machine-agnostic. To demonstrate the power of this algorithmic framework, three case studies, including real fabrication and simulation results, are presented.Comment: 24 pages, 16 figure

Exploring the Abilities of 3D Printing and its Viability for Consumption in the Fashion Industry

Abstract With the ever-evolving state of today’s technology, designers and retailers in the apparel industry are seeking out new technological methods that have the capacity to revolutionize and individualize their brand, as well as meet consumer needs and preferences. An emerging technology is 3D printing, which utilizes computer-aided technology and a variety of filaments to construct an object. Though 3D printing technology offers the ability for rapid prototyping, a condensed supply chain, and a sustainable additive manufacturing process, there is question as to whether or not consumers are ready for 3D printed clothing to enter their wardrobes. In this creative study, the authors designed a 3D printed garment in order to test whether 3D printers could be used to make wearable clothing of similar characteristics to clothing typically made of fabric. A survey was then conducted on the University of Arkansas campus to measure consumer response to the project garment. Three primary factors were measured: prior exposure and interest in 3D printing, general fashion interest, and aesthetic appeal of the project 3D printed garment. Overall perceptions of the project garment as well as further use of 3D printing for the apparel industry were positive. The ability of this study to create a fully 3D printed garment as well as understand consumer response to 3D printed clothing provides insight into this emerging technology. The results warrant further research into its capabilities for fashion and that the fashion industry could move towards adopting this technology on a wider scale in coming years. The results indicate that a major transformation in ready-to-wear style is feasible and beneficial to the apparel industry because of 3D printing. Keywords: 3D printing, fashion, consumer preference, sustainability, apparel, technolog

Emerging technologies for the non-invasive characterization of physical-mechanical properties of tablets

The density, porosity, breaking force, viscoelastic properties, and the presence or absence of any structural defects or irregularities are important physical-mechanical quality attributes of popular solid dosage forms like tablets. The irregularities associated with these attributes may influence the drug product functionality. Thus, an accurate and efficient characterization of these properties is critical for successful development and manufacturing of a robust tablets. These properties are mainly analyzed and monitored with traditional pharmacopeial and non-pharmacopeial methods. Such methods are associated with several challenges such as lack of spatial resolution, efficiency, or sample-sparing attributes. Recent advances in technology, design, instrumentation, and software have led to the emergence of newer techniques for non-invasive characterization of physical-mechanical properties of tablets. These techniques include near infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray microtomography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging, terahertz pulsed imaging, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and various acoustic- and thermal-based techniques. Such state-of-the-art techniques are currently applied at various stages of development and manufacturing of tablets at industrial scale. Each technique has specific advantages or challenges with respect to operational efficiency and cost, compared to traditional analytical methods. Currently, most of these techniques are used as secondary analytical tools to support the traditional methods in characterizing or monitoring tablet quality attributes. Therefore, further development in the instrumentation and software, and studies on the applications are necessary for their adoption in routine analysis and monitoring of tablet physical-mechanical properties

Prototipo de palanca de gases (Throttle-HOTAS) para simulación aérea

The throttle is a very important mechanism to control the thrust of the engines in the aviation world. From a little Cessna 172 to massive airbus 380 everyone uses it. In this project using advanced technologies like CAD modeling, simulations and 3d printing, it will cover the most of the development process for a prototype. From the initial concepts and ideas, test and experimentation to a physical prototype will be a large period of analysis, creativity and perseverance to make something from the scratch. Development methodology will be an important feature for the success of the product. Design → test→ analyze→resolve In the market there are a lot of product with deficiencies in some aspects like non smooth axis and bad flight detents, the objective is to built the Throttle I always wanted to had. The systems to design are: -Stand→solid base for all the components -Axis→allow smooth rotation -Friction regulation→user can regulate the force needed to rotate the axis -Flight detents→ throttle has some fixed positions -Grip→ user interface (hand) -Position control→ system to track and transmit the axis/ lever position With the help of 3D printing, prototype will be manufactured, components will need to be tested and analyzed for a optimal functionality. For a design structural optimization, using NX CAE (finite elements), a simulation model will be created and adjusted from physical test results. With that model structural countermeasures can be analyzed before any physical prototype

Mechanical design and fluid analysis of a vertical-axis wind turbine "TRIBINE"

Purpose of the final project is to design a wind turbine with an artistic view, choose proper wind turbine axis and comparison of them. The chosen wind turbine should be manufacturable, eco friendly and innovative. After the wind turbine blade selection, flow simulations were done by Solidworks

Design and test of a gripper prototype for horticulture products

This paper describes the design of a gripper for horticulture product grasping. The design solution has been achieved by means of a systematic approach by evaluating all the possible architecture. The proposed structure is optimized and numerically simulated. Then, a prototype has been built and tested in laboratory. The design process and test results are discussed to show the efficiency of the built prototype with lab test