High cycle fatigue and fatigue crack growth rate in additive manufactured titanium alloys

The Wire + Arc Additive Manufacture (WAAM) process can produce large metal parts in the metre scale, at much higher deposition rate and more efficient material usage compared to the powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (AM) processes. WAAM process also offers lead time reduction and much lower buy-to-fly ratio compared to traditional process methods, e.g. forgings. Research is much needed in the areas of fatigue and fracture performance for qualification and certification of additive manufactured aircraft components. In this study, specimens made of WAAM Ti-6Al-4V alloy were tested and analysed focusing on two key areas of structural integrity and durability: (1) High cycle fatigue and effect of defects: crack initiation at porosity defects was investigated via fatigue and interrupted fatigue-tomography testing performed on specimens with porosity defects purposely embedded in the specimen gauge section. Key findings are as follows. Presence of porosity did not affect the tensile strengths, however both ductility and fatigue strength were significantly reduced. Fatigue life could not be correlated by the applied stress, e.g. in terms of the S-N curves, owing to the different pore sizes. Using the fracture mechanics approach and Murakami’s stress intensity factor equation for pores, good correlation was found between the fatigue life and stress intensity factor range of the crack initiating defects. Predictive methods for fatigue strength reduction were developed taking account of the defect size, location, and distribution. (2) Fatigue crack growth rate: effect of heterogeneous microstructure was investigated via two different material deposition methods and testing two crack orientations. Fatigue crack growth rates were measured for damage tolerance design considerations. Unique microstructure features and their effect on the property anisotropy are discussed

Calcium signalling: dynamics, homeostasis and remodelling

Ca2+ is a highly versatile intracellular signal that operates over a wide temporal range to regulate many different cellular processes. An extensive Ca2+-signalling toolkit is used to assemble signalling systems with very different spatial and temporal dynamics. Rapid highly localized Ca2+ spikes regulate fast responses, whereas slower responses are controlled by repetitive global Ca2+ transients or intracellular Ca2+ waves. Ca2+ has a direct role in controlling the expression patterns of its signalling systems that are constantly being remodelled in both health and disease

Mitochondrial Ca2+ as a key regulator of cell life and death

none4Mitochondrial Ca(2+) homeostasis is today at the center of wide interest in the scientific community because of its role both in the modulation of numerous physiological responses and because of its involvement in cell death. In this review, we briefly summarize a few basic features of mitochondrial Ca(2+) handling in vitro and within living cells, and its involvement in the modulation of Ca(2+)-dependent signaling. We then discuss the role of mitochondrial Ca(2+) in the control of apoptotic death, focusing in particular on the effects of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins of the Bcl-2 family. Finally, the potential involvement of Ca(2+) and mitochondria in the development of two diseases, Ullrich muscular dystrophy and familial Alzheimer's disease, is briefly discussed.mixedGIACOMELLO M; DRAGO I; PIZZO P; POZZAN TGiacomello, M; Drago, I; Pizzo, Paola; Pozzan, Tulli