Selective laser sintering of hydroxyapatite reinforced polyethylene composites for bioactive implants and tissue scaffold development

Selective laser sintering (SLS) has been investigated for the production of bioactive implants and tissue scaffolds using composites of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) reinforced with hydroxyapatite (HA) with the aim of achieving the rapid manufacturing of customized implants. Single-layer and multilayer block specimens made of HA-HDPE composites with 30 and 40 vol % HA were sintered successfully using a CO2 laser sintering system. Laser power and scanning speed had a significant effect on the sintering behaviour. The degree of particle fusion and porosity were influenced by the laser processing parameters, hence control can be attained by varying these parameters. Moreover, the SLS processing allowed exposure of HA particles on the surface of the composites and thereby should provide bioactive products. Pores existed in the SLS-fabricated composite parts and at certain processing parameters a significant fraction of the pores were within the optimal sizes for tissue regeneration. The results indicate that the SLS technique has the potential not only to fabricate HA-HDPE composite products but also to produce appropriate features for their application as bioactive implants and tissue scaffolds

Co-operation as a response to a turbulent environment

The objective of this study was to find out 'how SMEs perceive and respond to a turbulent environment'. We define a turbulent environment as an environment in which customer needs are rapidly changing. Based on this interpretation, we are interested in to what extent SMEs perceive these changes in customer needs and how they respond to these changes - particularly focussing on strategy and cooperation. The main conclusion of our research is that SMEs co-operate mainly to reduce costs or improve the competitive position, not to meet customer needs more adequately. SMEs do not realise the advantages of seeking cooperation in order to share means and expertise in delivering a custom or tailor-made product or service to their customer. With respect to their suppliers, SMEs often lack countervailing power, which is an obstacle for co-operation. SMEs in the retail sectors are unable to convince their suppliers of the need to respond to changes quickly. Regarding co-operation with the clients, one might question whether existing customisation strategies are really demand-driven. This research does not support the impression that SMEs really know their customers' wishes and needs. On the contrary, some businesses intentionally do not adjust their products to changing customer needs.

Problem-Solving Behaviours, Organisational Forms and the Complexity of Tasks

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A Review on 3D Printing for Customized Food Fabrication

AbstractThis study introduces the first generation food printer concept designs and workable prototypes that target to revolutionize customized food fabrication by 3D printing (3DP). Different from robotics-based food manufacturing technologies designed to automate manual processes for mass production, 3D food printing integrates 3DP and digital gastronomy technique to manufacture food products with customization in shape, colour, flavor, texture and even nutrition. This introduces artistic capabilities to fine dining, and extend customization capabilities to industrial culinary sector.The selected prototypes are reviewed based on fabrication platforms and printing materials. A detailed discussion on specific 3DP technologies and their associate dispensing/printing process for 3D customized food fabrication are reported for single and multi-material applications. Eventually, impacts of food printing on personalized nutrition, on-demand food fabrication, food processing technologies and process design are reported. Their applications in domestic cooking or catering services can not only provide an engineering solution for customized food design and personalized nutrition control, but also a potential machine to reconfigure a customized food supply chain

Rapid manufacturing as a tool for agile manufacturing: applications and implementation perspectives

Manufacturing engineers and technologists around the globe are already well familiar with manufacturing methodologies and systems developments in the last part of the twentieth century. Many are probably also familiar with the current state of Rapid Prototyping (RP) technologies, especially in the areas of concept model making and prototype development. They may not however, be so familiar with the more recent developments of these technologies towards Rapid Manufacturing (RM) and the directions which the applications of RM technologies are taking for agile manufacturing purposes in particular. This paper critically reviews the various technologies currently available, outlines development trends in RM, discusses the approach, application and implementation perspectives by which these RM technologies are applied for increasing agility and responsiveness in manufacturing. Furthermore, the paper describes two case study examples to further illustrate the application scenarios in agile manufacturing before concluding remarks

SERVice Oriented Intelligent Value Adding nEtwork for Clothing-SMEs embarking in Mass-Customisation [as a result of the Automatic knitting Sites pilot, Task D6.2a]. CORDIS.

Executive Summary: This report describes the outcomes of research and development work done by IFTH (France) and Nottingham Trent University (UK) to develop and evaluate the procedures for a business model to produce commercially customised fully-fashioned knitwear. It builds on the initial work done by Unicatum, RWTH and Hohenstein Institute (Germany). The purpose was to demonstrate the commercial potential for on-demand, localised manufacturing of up-market fashion products using new technology. The target market was upper-middle market knitwear for ladies, typical products being a jumper, cardigan or dress. As with the rest of the SERVIVE project, customisation has been assumed to be linked to style advice. Thus part of the overall product and consumer experience is the initial process of co-design. This is partly illustrated in the video of the demonstration [see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIodKyciJAM]. However as this could vary according to each retailer (e.g. web-based or personal style advisor, product category, etc.), this aspect is better covered in other SERVIVE project deliverables. The key technology assumed in the micro-factory is one or more whole-garment 3D knitting machines. It is recognised that this can be an option with circular knitting (e.g. Santoni), but in this instance the focus is on the multiple flat-bed technology such as is available from Stoll and Shima Seiki

The logistics implications of emerging business models

The network structure has expanded the nature of organisational economics from a limited perspective, based upon economies of scale (within which the firm became volume oriented striving to achieve its minimum cost/volume position on its long-run average cost curve (Chandler: 1962), to a ‘collective’ perspective based upon a notion of dispersed operations (i e, the complete range of value creation, production, delivery and service provision). It is no longer sufficient to be the lowest cost provider in a market but rather it is now essential to be the most effective and efficient solution provider: end-user markets are product-service dominated. These may be PRODUCT-service markets, however in the New Economy many industrial markets are product-SERVICE markets: the customers are aware of product application performance but are often more influenced by service-maintenance availability rather low prices, hence the approach by major manufacturers of such products as aero-engines which are priced by the hour of serviceable use. To be effective it is essential that suppliers and customers understand each other’s expectations (value drivers) and costs (value driver response costs). The complexities of markets encourage a network approach, one in which “solutions” to customers’ “problems” may take on a PRODUCT-service format or (increasingly) a product-SERVICE offer and the solutions will cross a number of international borders as well as a number of intra and inter-organisational boundaries during the process