Additive Manufacturing of Next Generation Electrical Machine Windings - Opportunities in Fusion Engineering?

More electric propulsion across automotive and aerospace has lead to a demand for significant improvement in thepower density of electrical machines. This has, in turn, triggered research into advanced manufacturing methods for higher performance magnet systems in machines. The application of Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF), a form of Additive Manufacture (AM), to the current carrying coils of the electromagnetic circuit of a machine has allowed several significant improvements to the design of these parts. One benefit which can be realised in this way is the tailoring of conductor form to the operating field and the alteration of conductor topolgy to reduce AC loss. Another advantage of these manufacturing techniques is the ability to introduce methods of direct cooling to the coil, including highly efficient heat exchangers derived from generative design techniques. It is significant that the electrical conductivity achieved is now equivalent to that of conventional drawn Cu wire. This paper hypothesises that the lessons learned in developing production methods for next generation, high performance components for electric machines might also find utility in the very demanding electromagnetic circuits found in magnetic confinement fusion. Potential benefits for the production of Cable-in-Conduit Conductor (CICC) superconducting (SC) bus-bar joints, or even larger elements of conductors are discussed. This is used to motivate future experimental studies of the mechanical and electrical performance of AM Cu at cryogenic temperatures as well as the further development of the manufacturing state of the art

Open radical cystectomy: still the gold standard for muscle invasive bladder cancer

INTRODUCTION Muscle invasive bladder cancer is an unforgiving disease, and if untreated, it leads to death within 2 years of the diagnosis in >85 % of the patients. Long-term oncologic efficacy remains the ultimate standard that all procedures have to be measured by. In the past decades, open radical cystectomy (RC), extended pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), and urinary diversion have been established as the gold standard. In the last few years, however, growing attention has been set on robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). RESULTS Even in the very long term, open RC has good oncological results and if an ileal neobladder is performed excellent functional results. Follow-up of patients after open RC exceeds more than a decade which is unsurpassed by any other technique. Its outcomes have been proven to be durable and cost-effective. Least perioperative complications as well as best oncological and functional results can be achieved if open RC and urinary diversion were performed in a high-volume hospital by high-volume surgeons and an experienced team. CONCLUSIONS Despite upcoming new technologies such as RARC, open RC following extended (PLND) remains the gold standard treatment for high-grade muscle invasive bladder cancer