Experimental investigations on natural fiber embedded additive manufacturing-based biodegradable structures for biomedical applications

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1221-1234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amarveer Singh Mangat ◽  
Sunpreet Singh ◽  
Munish Gupta ◽  
Ravinder Sharma

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and investigate the mechanical as well as bacterial characteristics of chemically treated waste natural fiber inserted three-dimensional structures (NFi3DS) produced with fused filament deposition (FFD) for biomedical applications. Design/methodology/approach In this work, a novel approach has been used for developing the customized porous structures particularly for scaffold applications. Initially, raw animal fibers were collected, and thereafter, the chemical treatment has been performed for making their wise utility in biomedical structures. For this purpose, silk fiber and sheep wool fibers were used as laminations, whereas polylactic acid was used as matrix material. A low-cost desktop time additive manufacturing setup was used for making the customized and porous parts by considering type of fiber, number of laminates, infill density and raster angle as input parameters. Findings The results obtained after using design of experimental technique highlighted that output characteristics (such as dimensional accuracy, hardness, three-point bending strength and bacterial test) are influenced by input parameters, as reported in the obtained signal/noise plots and analysis of variance. Optimum level of input parameters has also been found through Taguchi L9 orthogonal array, for single parametric optimization, and teaching learning-based algorithm and particle swarm optimization, for multiple parametric optimization. Overall, the results of the studies supported the use of embedded structures for scaffold-based biomedical applications. Research limitations/implications Presently, NFi3DS were produced by using the hand-lay-based manual approach that affected the uniform insert’s distribution and thickness. It is advised to use the automatic fiber placement system, synced with a three-dimensional printer, to achieve greater geometrical precision. Practical implications As both natural fibers and polymer matrix used in this work are well established for their biological properties, hence the methodology explored in this work will help the practitioners/academicians in developing highly compatible scaffold structures. Social implications The present work defines a new practice where the researchers can use natural fibers to reduce the cost associated with fabrication of customized scaffold prints. Originality/value The development of natural fiber embedded FFD-based structures is not yet explored for their feasibility in biomedical applications.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilse Valenzuela Matus ◽  
Jorge Lino Alves ◽  
Joaquim Góis ◽  
Augusto Barata da Rocha ◽  
Rui Neto ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to prove and qualify the influence of textured surface substrates morphology and chemical composition on the growth and propagation of transplanted corals. Use additive manufacturing and silicone moulds for converting three-dimensional samples into limestone mortar with white Portland cement substrates for coral growth. Design/methodology/approach Tiles samples were designed and printed with different geometries and textures inspired by nature marine environment. Commercial coral frag tiles were analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to identify the main chemical elements. Raw materials and coral species were selected. New base substrates were manufactured and deployed into a closed-circuit aquarium to monitor the coral weekly evolution process and analyse the results obtained. Findings Experimental results provided positive statistical parameters for future implementation tests, concluding that the intensity of textured surface, interfered favourably in the coralline algae biofilm growth. The chemical composition and design of the substrates were determinant factors for successful coral propagation. Recesses and cavities mimic the natural rocks aspect and promoted the presence and interaction of other species that favour the richness of the ecosystem. Originality/value Additive manufacturing provided an innovative method of production for ecology restoration areas, allowing rapid prototyping of substrates with high complexity morphologies, a critical and fundamental attribute to guarantee coral growth and Crustose Coralline Algae. The result of this study showed the feasibility of this approach using three-dimensional printing technologies.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wiktoria Maria Wojnarowska ◽  
Jakub Najowicz ◽  
Tomasz Piecuch ◽  
Michał Sochacki ◽  
Dawid Pijanka ◽  
...  

Purpose Chicken orthoses that cover the ankle joint area are not commercially available. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to fabricate a customised temporary Ankle–Foot Orthosis (AFO) for a chicken with a twisted ankle using computer-aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional (3D) printing. The secondary objective of the paper is to present the specific application of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in veterinary medicine. Design/methodology/approach The design process was based on multiple sketches, photos and measurements that were provided by the owner of the animal. The 3D model of the orthosis was made with Autodesk Fusion 360, while the prototype was fabricated using fused deposition modelling (FDM). Evaluation of the AFO was performed using the finite element method. Findings The work resulted in a functional 3D printed AFO for chicken. It was found that the orthosis made with AM provides satisfactory stiffen and a good fit. It was concluded that AM is suitable for custom bird AFO fabrication and, in some respects, is superior to traditional manufacturing methods. It was also concluded that the presented procedure can be applied in other veterinary cases and to other animal species and other parts of their body. AM provides veterinary with a powerful tool for the production of well-fitted and durable orthoses for animals. Research limitations/implications The study does not include the chicken's opinion on the comfort or fit of the manufactured AFO due to communication issues. Evaluation of the final prototype was done by the researchers and the animal owner. Originality/value No evidence was found in the literature on the use of AM for chicken orthosis, so this study is the first to describe such an application of AM. In addition, the study demonstrates the value of AM in veterinary medicine, especially in the production of devices such as orthoses.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gowtham Venkatraman ◽  
Adam Hehr ◽  
Leon M. Headings ◽  
Marcelo J. Dapino

Purpose Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a solid-state joining technology used for three-dimensional printing of metal foilstock. The electrical power input to the ultrasonic welder is a key driver of part quality in UAM, but under the same process parameters, it can vary widely for different build geometries and material combinations because of mechanical compliance in the system. This study aims to model the relationship between UAM weld power and system compliance considering the workpiece (geometry and materials) and the fixture on which the build is fabricated. Design/methodology/approach Linear elastic finite element modeling and experimental modal analysis are used to characterize the system’s mechanical compliance, and linear system dynamics theory is used to understand the relationship between weld power and compliance. In-situ measurements of the weld power are presented for various build stiffnesses to compare model predictions with experiments. Findings Weld power in UAM is found to be largely determined by the mechanical compliance of the build and insensitive to foil material strength. Originality/value This is the first research paper to develop a predictive model relating UAM weld power and the mechanical compliance of the build over a range of foil combinations. This model is used to develop a tool to determine the process settings required to achieve a consistent weld power in builds with different stiffnesses.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 308-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arfan Majeed ◽  
Jingxiang Lv ◽  
Tao Peng

Purpose This paper aims to present an overall framework of big data-based analytics to optimize the production performance of additive manufacturing (AM) process. Design/methodology/approach Four components, namely, big data application, big data sensing and acquisition, big data processing and storage, model establishing, data mining and process optimization were presented to comprise the framework. Key technologies including the big data acquisition and integration, big data mining and knowledge sharing mechanism were developed for the big data analytics for AM. Findings The presented framework was demonstrated by an application scenario from a company of three-dimensional printing solutions. The results show that the proposed framework benefited customers, manufacturers, environment and even all aspects of manufacturing phase. Research limitations/implications This study only proposed a framework, and did not include the realization of the algorithm for data analysis, such as association, classification and clustering. Practical implications The proposed framework can be used to optimize the quality, energy consumption and production efficiency of the AM process. Originality/value This paper introduces the concept of big data in the field of AM. The proposed framework can be used to make better decisions based on the big data during manufacturing process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 1145-1154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Lynch ◽  
C.R. Hasbrouck ◽  
Joseph Wilck ◽  
Michael Kay ◽  
Guha Manogharan

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the current state, technological challenges, economic opportunities and future directions in the growing “indirect” hybrid manufacturing ecosystem, which integrates traditional metal casting with the production of tooling via additive manufacturing (AM) process including three-dimensional sand printing (3DSP) and printed wax patterns. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted among 100 participants from foundries and AM service providers across the USA to understand the current adoption of AM in metal casting as a function of engineering specifications, production demand, volume and cost metrics. In addition, current technological and logistical challenges that are encountered by the foundries are identified to gather insight into the future direction of this evolving supply chain. Findings One of the major findings from this study is that hard tooling costs (i.e. patterns/core boxes) are the greatest challenge in low volume production for foundries. Hence, AM and 3DSP offer the greatest cost-benefit for these low volume production runs as it does not require the need for hard tooling to produce much higher profit premium castings. It is evident that there are major opportunities for the casting supply chain to benefit from an advanced digital ecosystem that seamlessly integrates AM and 3DSP into foundry operations. The critical challenges for adoption of 3DSP in current foundry operations are categorized into as follows: capital cost of the equipment, which cannot be justified due to limited demand for 3DSP molds/cores by casting buyers, transportation of 3DSP molds and cores, access to 3DSP, limited knowledge of 3DSP, limitations in current design tools to integrate 3DSP design principles and long lead times to acquire 3DSP molds/cores. Practical implications Based on the findings of this study, indirect hybrid metal AM supply chains, i.e. 3DSP metal casting supply chains is proposed, as 3DSP replaces traditional mold-making in the sand casting process flow, no/limited additional costs and resources would be required for qualification and certification of the cast parts made from three-dimensional printed sand molds. Access to 3DSP resources can be addressed by establishing a robust 3DSP metal casting supply chain, which will also enable existing foundries to rapidly acquire new 3DSP-related knowledge. Originality/value This original survey from 100 small and medium enterprises including foundries and AM service providers suggests that establishing 3DSP hubs around original equipment manufacturers as a shared resource to produce molds and cores would be beneficial. This provides traditional foundries means to continue mass production of castings using existing hard tooling while integrating 3DSP for new complex low volume parts, replacement parts, legacy parts and prototyping.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vignesh Sekar ◽  
Mohammad Hosseini Fouladi ◽  
Satesh Narayana Namasivayam ◽  
Sivakumar Sivanesan

Natural fibers and their composites are being widely used in almost all the applications in this modern era. However, the properties of natural fibers have to be enhanced in order to compete with synthetic fibers. This review paper opens up additive manufacturing, as a novel method for developing an acoustic panel using natural fiber composites with enhanced mechanical and acoustical properties. This approach will help to replace synthetic-based acoustic absorbers with biodegradable composite panels in acoustic applications. This review also covers, poly(lactic acid) as a polymer matrix and its advantages, the available variety of natural fibers as reinforcement in terms of mechanical and acoustical properties. The natural fiber-based filaments used in additive manufacturing and acoustic panels made from the available natural fibers are also elaborated here. This review shows the importance of additive manufacturing and its application to develop novel acoustic panels made of agricultural waste.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
André Luiz Luiz Jardini ◽  
Éder Sócrates Sócrates Najar Lopes ◽  
Laís Pellizzer Gabriel ◽  
Davi Calderoni ◽  
Rubens Maciel Filho ◽  
...  

Purpose This study aims to assess the design, manufacturing and surgical implantation of three-dimensional (3D) customized implants, including surgical preoperative planning, surgery and postoperative results, for cranioplasty along with zygomatic and orbital floor implants using additive manufacturing (AM) technics for a 23-year-old female who suffered from severe craniomaxillofacial trauma. Design/methodology/approach The skull biomodel was produced in polyamide while implants were made of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy by AM. Findings The method enabled perfectly fitting implants and anatomical conformance with the craniomaxillofacial defect, providing complete healing for the patient. Surgical planning using a customized 3D polyamide biomodel was effective. This proved to be a powerful tool for medical planning and manufacturing of customized implants, as complete healing and good craniofacial aesthetic results were observed. Originality/value Satisfactory surgical procedures, regarding surgery time reduction and good craniofacial aesthetic results, were achieved. Furthermore, the 3D titanium customized implants represented a favorable alternate for the repair of craniomaxillofacial defects.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Damien Chaney ◽  
Julien Gardan ◽  
Julien De Freyman

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the relationship implications of additive manufacturing (AM), which has the ability to produce layer-by-layer three-dimensional complex products by adding material in comparison to traditional manufacturing processes which remove material – for industrial marketing. Design/methodology/approach After presenting the literature on customer relationships and digital technologies in business-to-business, the study uses a “zoom-out” and “zoom-in” perspective to review the extant literature on AM and then makes study propositions for industrial marketing. Findings Through the adoption of AM technologies, the study suggests that firms can improve their level of servitization through customized products, offer more sustainable value propositions and empower their customers through the sale of digital files, which can be considered as levers to strengthen relationships with customers. Research limitations/implications This paper makes several propositions regarding the relationship implications of AM for industrial marketing that further research should test. Practical implications This paper highlights the relational benefits that adopting AM may represent for companies. Originality/value While AM which is considered as an industrial revolution has generated a wide body of research in engineering and operations and technology management sciences, its impact on industrial marketing remains understudied.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donatien Mottin ◽  
Tsaihsing Martin Ho ◽  
Peichun Amy Tsai

Purpose Monodisperse microfluidic emulsions – droplets in another immiscible liquid – are beneficial to various technological applications in analytical chemistry, material and chemical engineering, biology and medicine. Upscaling the mass production of micron-sized monodisperse emulsions, however, has been a challenge because of the complexity and technical difficulty of fabricating or upscaling three-dimensional (3 D) microfluidic structures on a chip. Therefore, the authors develop a fluid dynamical design that uses a standard and straightforward 3 D printer for the mass production of monodisperse droplets. Design/methodology/approach The authors combine additive manufacturing, fluid dynamical design and suitable surface treatment to create an easy-to-fabricate device for the upscaling production of monodisperse emulsions. Considering hydrodynamic networks and associated flow resistance, the authors adapt microfluidic flow-focusing junctions to produce (water-in-oil) emulsions in parallel in one integrated fluidic device, under suitable flow rates and channel sizes. Findings The device consists of 32 droplet-makers in parallel and is capable of mass-producing 14 L/day of monodisperse emulsions. This convenient method can produce 50,000 millimetric droplets per hour. Finally, the authors extend the current 3 D printed fluidics with the generated emulsions to synthesize magnetic microspheres. Originality/value Combining additive manufacturing and hydrodynamical concepts and designs, the authors experimentally demonstrate a facile method of upscaling the production of useful monodisperse emulsions. The design and approach will be beneficial for mass productions of smart and functional microfluidic materials useful in a myriad of applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mallika Datta ◽  
Debasish Das ◽  
Devarun Nath

Purpose The study aims to review the literatures on the effect of fiber length on the mechanical response of natural fiber composite will help the researchers to know about the perspective of the various natural fibers in making of composite concerning fiber length. The review summarized the work of the other researchers, thereby unambiguously précised suitability of a specific natural fiber for a matrix in use. Thus, one can identify the use of the same fibers–matrix combination to obtain composites with different properties with the control of fiber/matrix interface. Design/methodology/approach The review work proposes a new kind of diagrammatic representation that expresses the influence of fiber length. This work has not been explored before in this specific format. The chronology of work may help to select natural fibers for use in composites for a specific matrix. Findings The length of the fiber perception in terms of “critical” length decides the need for pre-treatment process of natural fiber to improve shear stress at the interface for various matrices. Originality/value The current review paper attempts to shed light on the association between the fiber length of natural fiber and the mechanical response of natural fiber composite. Moreover, it probes the concepts of critical fiber length as a persuadable factor.


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