Open Uniaxial Test Machine (OpenUTM): Part 1 — A Low-Cost Electrohydraulic Test Frame for Additive Manufacturing Part Qualification

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Steuben ◽  
Athanasios P. Iliopoulos ◽  
John G. Michopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Test Machine ◽  
Mechanical Stiffness ◽  
Uniaxial Test ◽  
Bill Of Materials ◽  
Test Frame ◽  
Force Displacement

A wide variety of scientific and engineering activities require the use of testing machines in order to acquire data regarding the response of materials subjected to mechanical loads. This is particularly applicable to the domain of Additive Manufacturing (AM), where mechanical qualification is essential. Such machinery should be capable of applying loads at required levels and exhibit high mechanical stiffness. Accurate force, displacement, and strain measurements are also required. As a consequence, such testing machines are typically very costly. In the present paper we introduce the Open Uniaxial Test Machine (OpenUTM) project, aimed at providing a low-cost (less than $2500.00) material testing hardware/software framework. This paper will focus on the engineering design and hardware aspects of the OpenUTM project, with particular attention paid to the use of an electrohydraulic actuator (EHA) to provide test loads. A full bill of materials and drawings package is provided, in order to enable the use of the OpenUTM framework by research groups with minimal machine tooling. We introduce several case studies demonstrating the successful use of the OpenUTM frame in AM research efforts, including the testing and characterization of AM polymers and ceramics. We conclude with discussion of the software aspects of the OpenUTM framework, which will be elaborated upon in a follow-up paper (part two). We also present a series of potential avenues towards the improvement of the OpenUTM frame in future hardware iterations.

Validation of a low-cost selective powder deposition process through the characterization of tin bronze specimens

2021 ◽  
pp. 146442072110319
Author(s):  
Samuel Magalhães ◽  
Manuel Sardinha ◽  
Carlos Vicente ◽  
Marco Leite ◽  
Relógio Ribeiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Deposition Process ◽  
Metal Powders ◽  
Tin Bronze ◽  
Powder Deposition ◽  
Manufacturing Technologies ◽  
The Cost

Additive manufacturing technologies are becoming increasingly popular due to their advantages over traditional subtracting manufacturing technologies. Despite advances in this field, fixed and maintenance costs for additive manufacturing with metals remain high. The introduction of low-cost metal machines in the additive manufacturing market considerably reduces the cost of acquiring and maintaining this type of equipment. This work aims to establish the process requirements for a low-cost selective powder deposition process, and validate it through the production of specimens in the laboratory and evaluate their mechanical properties. Tin bronze specimens were produced under different manufacturing conditions, namely powder dimensions, type of crucible and coke, firing segments and casting strategy. The morphology and chemical composition of the specimens were carried out combining the scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy techniques, respectively. It was observed that crucibles and coke with impurities that react with the metal powders and infill in a reducing atmosphere have influence in the final quality of parts. Tested samples displayed high variability of results which can be correlated with different manufacturing conditions. The selection of the appropriate print parameters led to the manufacture of tin bronze specimens with mechanical properties comparable to those reported in the literature. Overall, low-cost selective powder deposition is a promising technology, if identified manufacturing issues are addressed.

scholarly journals Test Frame Design for the Characterization of Additive Manufacturing Compliant Materials

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean T. Fry ◽  
Cameron J. Turner
Keyword(s):  
Additive Manufacturing ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Combined Loading ◽  
Biaxial Test ◽  
Frame Design ◽  
Gpgpu Computing ◽  
Test Frame ◽  
Reducing Costs ◽  
Graphics Processing

This work presents a design of a 6 degree of freedom (DOF) robotic test frame designed to provide multiple and combined loading scenarios for additive manufacturing (AM) materials. The need is to provide a more in-depth look into the material properties of nonlinear anisotropic materials as traditional uniaxial or biaxial test frames have been shown to be inefficient in providing accurate material property values. With the application of surrogate models with General Purpose Graphics Processing (GPGPU) computing, “real-time” characterization is achievable. The work provided is a next generation 6 DOF test frame designed to reducing costs, increasing workspace, and reducing overall size over previous designs.

Low – Cost, Accelerated High-Cycle Fatigue Testing by Resonant Dwell

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. W. Whaley ◽  
L. A. Killingsworth ◽  
T. D. Bow
Keyword(s):  
High Cycle Fatigue ◽  
Fatigue Testing ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Fatigue Properties ◽  
Test Machine ◽  
Cycle Fatigue ◽  
New Materials ◽  
Hydraulic Test ◽  
Electrodynamic Shaker

Characterization of the fatigue properties of new materials using conventional empirical procedures will be very expensive and time-consuming because of the need for sufficient fatigue life data, especially in the high cycle fatigue (HCF) region. Fatigue specimens tested at 30 Hz require over nine hours to accumulate 106 cycles for each fatigue data point. Resonant-dwell double-cantilever beam specimens resonating at approximately 260 Hz accumulate 106 cycles in about an hour. This paper describes low–cost, accelerated HCF fatigue testing using resonant – dwell specimens and a small, inexpensive electrodynamic shaker. Using this method, HCF data needed for characterizing the fatigue properties of new materials can be collected about nine times faster than a servo–hydraulic test machine operating at 30 Hz.

scholarly journals Microstructure and Thermoelectric Properties of (Bi0.48Sb1.52)Te3 Thick Films Prepared with Tape Casting Method

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Lichen Liu ◽  
Ziping Cao ◽  
Min Chen ◽  
Jun Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Thermoelectric Properties ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thick Films ◽  
Tape Casting ◽  
Casting Process ◽  
Casting Method ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Conductive Films ◽  
Casting Technology

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of (Bi0.48Sb1.52)Te3 thick films using a tape casting process on glass substrates. A slurry of thermoelectric (Bi0.48Sb1.52)Te3 was developed and cured thick films were annealed in a vacuum chamber at 500–600 °C. The microstructure of these films was analyzed, and the Seebeck coefficient and electric conductivity were tested. It was found that the subsequent annealing process must be carefully designed to achieve good thermoelectric properties of these samples. Conductive films were obtained after annealing and led to acceptable thermoelectric performance. While the properties of these initial materials are not at the level of bulk materials, this work demonstrates that the low-cost tape casting technology is promising for fabricating thermoelectric modules for energy conversion.

scholarly journals A closed-loop optogenetic screen for neurons controlling feeding in Drosophila

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Celia K S Lau ◽  
Meghan Jelen ◽  
Michael D Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Expression Pattern ◽  
Sensory Neurons ◽  
Closed Loop ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Taste Detection ◽  
Proof Of Principle ◽  
Feeding Circuits

Abstract Feeding is an essential part of animal life that is greatly impacted by the sense of taste. Although the characterization of taste-detection at the periphery has been extensive, higher order taste and feeding circuits are still being elucidated. Here, we use an automated closed-loop optogenetic activation screen to detect novel taste and feeding neurons in Drosophila melanogaster. Out of 122 Janelia FlyLight Project GAL4 lines preselected based on expression pattern, we identify six lines that acutely promote feeding and 35 lines that inhibit it. As proof of principle, we follow up on R70C07-GAL4, which labels neurons that strongly inhibit feeding. Using split-GAL4 lines to isolate subsets of the R70C07-GAL4 population, we find both appetitive and aversive neurons. Furthermore, we show that R70C07-GAL4 labels putative second-order taste interneurons that contact both sweet and bitter sensory neurons. These results serve as a resource for further functional dissection of fly feeding circuits.

scholarly journals Proteinuria in COVID-19: prevalence, characterization and prognostic role

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Huart ◽  
Antoine Bouquegneau ◽  
Laurence Lutteri ◽  
Pauline Erpicum ◽  
Stéphanie Grosch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Catheter ◽  
Single Center ◽  
Tubular Injury ◽  
Tubular Proteinuria ◽  
Prognostic Role ◽  
Urine Creatinine ◽  
Single Center Study ◽  
Center Study

Abstract Background Proteinuria has been commonly reported in patients with COVID-19. However, only dipstick tests have been frequently used thus far. Here, the quantification and characterization of proteinuria were investigated and their association with mortality was assessed. Methods This retrospective, observational, single center study included 153 patients, hospitalized with COVID-19 between March 28th and April 30th, 2020, in whom total proteinuria and urinary α1-microglobulin (a marker of tubular injury) were measured. Association with mortality was evaluated, with a follow-up until May 7th, 2020. Results According to the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes staging, 14% (n = 21) of the patients had category 1 proteinuria (< 150 mg/g of urine creatinine), 42% (n = 64) had category 2 (between 150 and 500 mg/g) and 44% (n = 68) had category 3 proteinuria (over 500 mg/g). Urine α1-microglobulin concentration was higher than 15 mg/g in 89% of patients. After a median follow-up of 27 [14;30] days, the mortality rate reached 18%. Total proteinuria and urinary α1-microglobulin were associated with mortality in unadjusted and adjusted models. This association was stronger in subgroups of patients with normal renal function and without a urinary catheter. Conclusions Proteinuria is frequent in patients with COVID-19. Its characterization suggests a tubular origin, with increased urinary α1-microglobulin. Tubular proteinuria was associated with mortality in COVID-19 in our restropective, observational study.

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