Optimisation of a novel hot air contactless single incremental point forming of polymers

This study presents a new contactless sheet forming method that utilises hot air as a forming tool to address tool wear challenges in single-point incremental forming. Experiments were conducted on a 3-axis CNC machine equipped with a hot air nozzle on a polycarbonate sheet. A design of experiment (DOE) approach was employed, evaluating five control factors: air pressure, air temperature, feed rate, tool offset, and step down. The evaluation criteria for the formed sheets are profile variation, thickness variation, and surface roughness. The results indicate that air temperature and feed rate have the most significant influence on the deformation process. Additionally, air pressure and feed rate substantially impact both thickness variation and surface roughness of the formed material. To optimise the process parameters for high-quality forming, a prediction model is developed. The optimised process shows good agreement with the predicted model regarding profile and thickness variations. However, it does not align with surface roughness due to the stepwise nature and inherent waviness of the contactless forming technique. This study offers a promising approach for developing innovative contactless forming techniques using hot pressurised air as a forming tool. The proposed technique has the potential to significantly reduce tool wear and lubrication requirements

Hot-air contactless single-point incremental forming

Single-point incremental forming (SPIF) has emerged as a time-efficient approach that offers increased material formability compared to conventional sheet-metal forming techniques. However, the physical interaction between the forming tool and the sheet poses challenges, such as tool wear and formability limits. This study introduces a novel sheet-forming technique called contactless single-point incremental forming (CSPIF), which uses hot compressed air as a deformation tool, eliminating the requirement for physical interaction between the sheet and a rigid forming tool. In this study, a polycarbonate sheet was chosen as the case-study material and subjected to the developed CSPIF. The experiments were carried out at an air temperature of 160 °C, air pressure of 1 bar, a nozzle speed of 750 mm/min, and a step-down thickness of 0.75 mm. A Schlieren setup and a thermal camera were used to visualize the motion of the compressed hot air as it traveled from the nozzle to the sheet. The results showed that the CSPIF technique allowed for the precise shaping of the polycarbonate sheet with minimal springback. However, minor deviations from the designed profile were observed, primarily at the starting point of the nozzle, which can be attributed to the bending effects of the sample. In addition, the occurrence of sheet thinning and material buildup on the deformed workpiece was also observed. The average surface roughness (Ra) of the deformed workpiece was measured to be 0.2871 micron

Porosity, cracks, and mechanical properties of additively manufactured tooling alloys: A review

Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are currently employed for the manufacturing of completely functional parts and have gained the attention of high-technology industries such as the aerospace, automotive, and biomedical fields. This is mainly due to their advantages in terms of low material waste and high productivity, particularly owing to the flexibility in the geometries that can be generated. In the tooling industry, specifically the manufacturing of dies and molds, AM technologies enable the generation of complex shapes, internal cooling channels, the repair of damaged dies and molds, and an improved performance of dies and molds employing multiple AM materials. In the present paper, a review of AM processes and materials applied in the tooling industry for the generation of dies and molds is addressed. AM technologies used for tooling applications and the characteristics of the materials employed in this industry are first presented. In addition, the most relevant state-of-the-art approaches are analyzed with respect to the process parameters and microstructural and mechanical properties in the processing of high-performance tooling materials used in AM processes. Concretely, studies on the additive manufacturing of ferrous (maraging steels and H13 steel alloy) and non-ferrous (Stellite alloys and WC alloys) tooling alloys are also analyzed

4D Printing of origami structures for minimally invasive surgeries using functional scaffold

Origami structures have attracted attention in biomedical applications due to their ability to develop surgical tools that can be expanded from a minimal volume to a larger and functional device. On the other hand, four-dimensional (4D) printing is an emerging technology, which involves 3D printing of smart materials that can respond to external stimuli such as heat. This short communication introduces the proof of concept of merging origami and 4D printing technologies to develop minimally invasive delivery of functional biomedical scaffolds with high shape recovery. The shape-memory effect (SME) of the PLA filament and the origami designs were also assessed in terms of deformability and recovery rate. The results showed that herringbone tessellation origami structure combined with internal natural cancellous bone core satisfies the design requirement of foldable scaffolds. The substantial and consistent SME of the 4D printed herringbone tessellation origami, which exhibited 96% recovery compared to 61% for PLA filament, was the most significant discovery of this paper. The experiments demonstrated how the use of 4D printing in situ with origami structures could achieve reliable and repeatable results, therefore conclusively proving how 4D printing of origami structures can be applied to biomedical scaffolds

3DP printing of oral solid formulations: a systematic review

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a recent technology, which gives the possibility to manufacture personalised dosage forms and it has a broad range of applications. One of the most developed, it is the manufacture of oral solid dosage and the four 3DP techniques which have been more used for their manufacture are FDM, inkjet 3DP, SLA and SLS. This systematic review is carried out to statistically analyze the current 3DP techniques employed in manufacturing oral solid formulations and assess the recent trends of this new technology. The work has been organised into four steps, (1) screening of the articles, definition of the inclusion and exclusion criteria and classi-fication of the articles in the two main groups (included/excluded); (2) quantification and charac-terisation of the included articles; (3) evaluation of the validity of data and data extraction process; (4) data analysis, discussion, and conclusion to define which technique offers the best properties to be applied in the manufacture of oral solid formulations. It has been observed that with SLS 3DP technique, all the characterisation tests required by the BP (drug content, drug dissolution profile, hardness, friability, disintegration time and uniformity of weight) have been performed in the majority of articles, except for the friability test. However, it is not possible to define which of the four 3DP techniques is the most suitable for the manufacture of oral solid formulations, because the selection is affected by different parameters, such as the type of formulation, the physi-cal-mechanical properties to achieve. Moreover, each technique has its specific advantages and disadvantages, such as for FDM the biggest challenge is the degradation of the drug, due to high printing temperature process or for SLA is the toxicity of the carcinogenic risk of the photopoly-merising material

Multi-locus phylogeny of the tribe Tragelaphini (Mammalia, Bovidae) and species delimitation in bushbuck: Evidence for chromosomal speciation mediated by interspecific hybridization

The bushbuck is the most widespread bovid species in Africa. Previous mitochondrial studies have revealed a polyphyletic pattern suggesting the possible existence of two distinct species. To assess this issue, we have sequenced 16 nuclear genes and one mitochondrial fragment (cytochrome b gene + control region) for most species of the tribe Tragelaphini, including seven bushbuck individuals belonging to the two divergent mtDNA haplogroups, Scriptus and Sylvaticus. Our phylogenetic analyses show that the Scriptus lineage is a sister-group of Sylvaticus in the nuclear tree, whereas it is related to Tragelaphus angasii in the mitochondrial tree. This mito-nuclear discordance indicates that the mitochondrial genome of Scriptus was acquired by introgression after one or several past events of hybridization between bushbuck and an extinct species closely related to T. angasii. The division into two bushbuck species is supported by the analyses of nuclear markers and by the karyotype here described for T. scriptus (2n = 57 M/58F), which is strikingly distinct from the one previously found for T. sylvaticus (2n = 33 M/34F). Molecular dating estimates suggest that the two species separated during the Early Pleistocene after an event of interspecific hybridization, which may have mediated massive chromosomal rearrangements in the common ancestor of T. scriptus

Fabrication and characterization of oxygen-generating polylactic acid/calcium peroxide composite filaments for bone scaffolds

The latest advancements in bone scaffold technology have introduced novel biomaterials that have the ability to generate oxygen when implanted, improving cell viability and tissue maturation. In this paper, we present a new oxygen-generating polylactic acid (PLA)/calcium peroxide (CPO) composite filament that can be used in 3D printing scaffolds. The composite material was prepared using a wet solution mixing method, followed by drying and hot melting extrusion. The concentration of calcium peroxide in the composite varied from 0% to 9%. The prepared filaments were characterized in terms of the presence of calcium peroxide, the generated oxygen release, porosity, and antibacterial activities. Data obtained from scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction showed that the calcium peroxide remained stable in the composite. The maximum calcium and oxygen release was observed in filaments with a 6% calcium peroxide content. In addition, bacterial inhibition was achieved in samples with a calcium peroxide content of 6% or higher. These results indicate that an optimized PLA filament with a 6% calcium peroxide content holds great promise for improving bone generation through bone cell oxygenation and resistance to bacterial infections

Unraveling bovin phylogeny: accomplishments and challenges

The phylogenetic systematics of bovin species forms a common basis for studies at multiple scales, from the level of domestication in populations to major cladogenesis. The main big-picture accomplishments of this productive field, including two recent works, one in BMC Genomics, are reviewed with an eye for some of the limitations and challenges impeding progress. See Research article http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/10/17

A case of uterine gangrene after termination of second trimester pregnancy complicated by chorioamnionitis

Uterine gangrene is a rare event during pregnancy. Here, we report the case of a 22-year-old patient pregnant in her second trimester presenting with premature rupture of membranes and a low-lying placenta. Hysterotomy was done to evacuate the pregnancy. The procedure was complicated by hemorrhage so bilateral uterine arteries and the left internal iliac artery were ligated to control the bleeding. She continued to run a fever in spite of antibiotics and on the 11th postoperative day, the patient developed signs of septicemia. Abdominal re-exploration was done revealing a gangrenous uterus with signs of peritonitis. Subtotal hysterectomy was done. The patient was discharged from the hospital in good health on the 10th post repeat laparotomy day