Encapsulation Of Devices Research Articles

СЮЖЕТНЫЙ МОТИВ «РАСТЯЖЕНИЕ ВРЕМЕНИ» (по роману Томаса Манна «Волшебная гора»)

The paper deals with the subject-plot motif “time extension” in the novel “The magic mountain” (“Der Zauberberg”) by Thomas Mann. The following constitutive features of this motif have been singled out: 1) the ability of the main character to concentrate on his inner world by means of a close introspection; 2) the usage of hermetic encapsulation device which consists in the limitation of the time and space conditions of the main hero’s life; 3) rethinking of values and life orientations forming new basic world-view concepts, such as life, death, disease, love. The application of the leitmotiv treated as recognizable main hero description and reiteration of other characters’ actions makes it possible to create the tonality of cantilena in the novel.

Fabrication of nanofibrous mat surrounded hydrogel scaffold as an encapsulation device for encapsulating pancreas β cells

The main barriers to cells or organ transplantation such as pancreatic β-cells are the need for lifelong immune suppression and the shortage of donors. It may be overcome via cell encapsulation and transplantation techniques. Hydrogels provide a suitable ECM-like microenvironment for cells to adhere, survive, and function, while weakly performing as an immune barrier. In this study, we aimed to macro-encapsulate islet cells in a dual encapsulation device with collagen hydrogel and PCL nanofiber to provide an immune-isolated environment for cells to function more efficiently, where immune cells are not allowed to enter but oxygen, insulin, and nutrients can pass through. PCL thin mats with the pores diameter of 500 nm were synthesized by electrospinning and characterized by scanning electron microscope, porosity measurement, tensile strength test, and contact angle measurement. Collagen hydrogel was fabricated by extracting collagen fibers from rat tail tendons and solving them in acetic acid. β-cells (CRI-D2 cell line) encapsulated after neutralizing collagen solution (pH ≈ 7.4). Cell-collagen gel complex was poured into the nanofibrous mat packets to fabricate the whole device. Histology evaluation, cell viability, and cell function tests were done in 10 days. Live/dead assay of Cri-D2 cells encapsulated within the device showed that cells have diffuse distribution at the core of the hydrogel and the device. Also, cluster formation was seen and shows these cells can live in groups. To identify cells’ function within the device in these 10 days samples’ supernatant insulin level was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay. It just showed a positive result for existing insulin within the medium. Based on our results, this device presents adequate features to be a good immune-isolation device for cell transplanting.

Locust Bean Gum, a Vegetable Hydrocolloid with Industrial and Biopharmaceutical Applications

Locust bean gum (LBG), a vegetable galactomannan extracted from carob tree seeds, is extensively used in the food industry as a thickening agent (E410). Its molecular conformation in aqueous solutions determines its solubility and rheological performance. LBG is an interesting polysaccharide also because of its synergistic behavior with other biopolymers (xanthan gum, carrageenan, etc.). In addition, this hydrocolloid is easily modified by derivatization or crosslinking. These LBG-related products, besides their applications in the food industry, can be used as encapsulation and drug delivery devices, packaging materials, batteries, and catalyst supports, among other biopharmaceutical and industrial uses. As the new derivatized or crosslinked polymers based on LBG are mainly biodegradable and non-toxic, the use of this polysaccharide (by itself or combined with other biopolymers) will contribute to generating greener products, considering the origin of raw materials used, the modification procedures selected and the final destination of the products.

Carbon Dot-Anchored Cobalt Oxyhydroxide Composite-Based Hydrogel Sensor for On-Site Monitoring of Organophosphorus Pesticides.

The development of a portable, quantitative, and user-friendly sensor for on-site monitoring of organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) is significantly urgent to guarantee food safety. Herein, a carbon dot/cobalt oxyhydroxide composite (CD/CoOOH)-based fluorescent hydrogel sensor is constructed for precisely quantifying OPs using a homemade portable auxiliary device. As a fluorescence signal indicator, the orange-emissive CD/CoOOH composite is encapsulated into an agarose hydrogel kit for amplifying the detection signals, shielding background interference, and enhancing stability. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) catalyzes the hydrolysis of the substrate to produce thiocholine, which induces the decomposition of CoOOH and makes the fluorescence enhancement of the hydrogel platform possible. OPs can specifically block the AChE activity to limit thiocholine production, resulting in a decrease in platform fluorescence. The image color of the fluorescent hydrogel kit is transformed into digital information using a homemade auxiliary device, achieving on-site quantitative detection of paraoxon (model target) with a detection limit of 10 ng mL-1. Harnessing CD/CoOOH composite signatures, hydrogel encapsulation, and portable optical devices, the proposed fluorescence hydrogel platform demonstrated high sensitivity and good anti-interference performance in agricultural sample analysis, indicating considerable potential in the on-site application.

Enhanced pyroelectric performance in potassium sodium niobate‐based ceramics via multisymmetries coexistence design

AbstractAchieving excellent pyroelectric performance remains a challenge for lead‐free piezoelectric ceramics. To meet the requirements of both an enhanced pyroelectric coefficient at room temperature and good thermal stability during the encapsulation of pyroelectric devices, (1–x)K0.48Na0.52NbO3–xBi0.5Ag0.5ZrO3–0.2%Fe2O3 (KNN–BAZ–Fe) lead‐free ferroelectric ceramics with high Curie temperatures were prepared to obtain improved pyroelectric performance via the coexistence of multiple symmetries. The variation of BAZ content led to the formation of rhombohedral–orthorhombic–tetragonal phase boundary and promoted grain growth, resulting in the best pyroelectric coefficient (p = 5.09 × 10−4 C m−2°C−1) and enhanced figures of merit (Fi = 0.2084 × 10−9 (m V−1), Fv = 0.0142 m2 C−1, Fd = 0.0947 × 10−4 Pa−1/2, and Fe = 17.66 J m−3 K−2) for infrared (IR) detection when x = 0.05. The room‐temperature pyroelectric coefficient obtained in this study is approximately four times that of the pure KNN ceramic and is the maximum value reported for niobate‐based piezoelectric ceramics. Moreover, compared with the poor thermal stability of barium titanate‐ and bismuth sodium titanate‐based ceramics because of their ultralow Curie temperature or thermal depolarization temperature, the ceramics investigated here exhibit much better thermal stability because of their high Curie temperature (TC > 300°C) and diffused phase‐transition behavior, making them more adaptable for practical applications. These results suggest that KNN–xBAZ–Fe ceramics are attractive candidates for applications in the field of IR sensors.

In vivo spatiotemporal dynamics of astrocyte reactivity following neural electrode implantation

Brain computer interfaces (BCIs), including penetrating microelectrode arrays, enable both recording and stimulation of neural cells. However, device implantation inevitably causes injury to brain tissue and induces a foreign body response, leading to reduced recording performance and stimulation efficacy. Astrocytes in the healthy brain play multiple roles including regulating energy metabolism, homeostatic balance, transmission of neural signals, and neurovascular coupling. Following an insult to the brain, they are activated and gather around the site of injury. These reactive astrocytes have been regarded as one of the main contributors to the formation of a glial scar which affects the performance of microelectrode arrays. This study investigates the dynamics of astrocytes within the first 2 weeks after implantation of an intracortical microelectrode into the mouse brain using two-photon microscopy. From our observation astrocytes are highly dynamic during this period, exhibiting patterns of process extension, soma migration, morphological activation, and device encapsulation that are spatiotemporally distinct from other glial cells, such as microglia or oligodendrocyte precursor cells. This detailed characterization of astrocyte reactivity will help to better understand the tissue response to intracortical devices and lead to the development of more effective intervention strategies to improve the functional performance of neural interfacing technology.

Optically isotropic nano-size encapsulation of nematic liquid crystals with a high-filling factor

• Oil-in-water encapsulation gives nanosize drops that can be coated on substrates. • Optically isotropic film can switch to an anisotropic state by voltage application. • Highly improved electro-optical performances are in a good agreement with extended Kerr effect. The filling factor of LCs in the LC-polymer composite system is a crucial factor for the electro-optic performance of optically isotropic liquid crystal (OILC) devices. The polymerization-induced phase separation method is well-known method to fabricate the OILCs; however, this method spontaneously limits the filling factor by ∼ 40%, which is inadequately low, owing to low-LC concentration in the mixtures. To overcome such intrinsic problem, we propose an encapsulated LC which is fabricated by means of oil-in-water encapsulation. Through this approach, the filling factor of LCs is effectively increased up to 67.8% because the capsules are closely packed. Consequently, we achieve a thin-composite film of nano-size LC encapsulation whose isotropic state is reliably switched to anisotropic state in response to an external electric field with low-operation voltage ( E th = 1.4 V/μm and E op = 4.6 V/μm), fast-response time ( τ on = 0.5 ms, τ off = 2.2 ms), and hysteresis-free electro-optic behavior. The highly improved electro-optic performances of the proposed encapsulated LC device would give versatile applications in blooming free-form flexible displays and various tunable photonic systems.

The Role of the Electron Transport Layer in the Degradation of Organic Photovoltaic Cells

The performance of the electron transport layer (ETL) plays a critical role in extending the operational lifespan of organic photovoltaic devices. ZnO is an excellent electron transport layer used in the printable organic photovoltaic cells. A comparison of Ca and ZnO as the ETL in encapsulated bulk heterojunction OPV devices has been undertaken with the device stability dependence on light soaking, temperature, irradiance, and thermal cycling recorded. It was observed that the OPV devices using Ca ETL decayed faster than the ZnO ETL devices under the same light illumination. The degradation in a Ca ETL device is ascribed to the formation of an insulating calcium oxide layer at the ETL interfaces. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy revealed a higher PL signal for the degraded Ca ETL devices compared to the ZnO ETL devices. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the ZnO ETL devices was found to be much more stable than the Ca devices. The PCE for ZnO ETL devices still retained 40% of their initial value while the Ca ETL devices failed completely over the period of 18 days in the study, leading to a clear outcome of the study.

Binary Promoter Improving the Moderate-Temperature Adhesion of Addition-Cured Liquid Silicone Rubber for Thermally Conductive Potting.

The strong adhesion of thermally conductive silicone encapsulants on highly integrated electronic devices can avoid external damages and lead to an improved long-term reliability, which is critical for their commercial application. However, due to their low surface energy and chemical reactivity, the self-adhesive ability of silicone encapsulants to substrates need to be explored further. Here, we developed epoxy and alkoxy groups-bifunctionalized tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4H-MSEP) and boron-modified polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS-B), which were synthesized and utilized as synergistic adhesion promoters to provide two-component addition-cured liquid silicone rubber (LSR) with a good self-adhesion ability for applications in electronic packaging at moderate temperatures. The chemical structures of D4H-MSEP and PDMS-B were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The mass percentage of PDMS-B to D4H-MSEP, the adhesion promoters content and the curing temperature on the adhesion strength of LSR towards substrates were systematically investigated. In detail, the LSR with 2.0 wt% D4H-MSEP and 0.6 wt% PDMS-B exhibited a lap-shear strength of 1.12 MPa towards Al plates when curing at 80 °C, and the cohesive failure was also observed. The LSR presented a thermal conductivity of 1.59 W m−1 K−1 and good fluidity, which provided a sufficient heat dissipation ability and fluidity for potting applications with 85.7 wt% loading of spherical α-Al2O3. Importantly, 85 °C and 85% relative humidity durability testing demonstrated LSR with a good encapsulation capacity in long-term processes. This strategy endows LSR with a good self-adhesive ability at moderate temperatures, making it a promising material requiring long-term reliability in the encapsulation of temperature-sensitive electronic devices.

Engineered Cancer Targeting Microbes and Encapsulation Devices for Human Gut Microbiome Applications.

The gut microbiota produce specialized metabolites that are important for maintaining host health homeostasis. Hence, unstable production of these metabolites can contribute to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer. While fecal transplantation or dietary modification approaches can be used to correct the gut microbial community's metabolic output, this Perspective focuses on the use of engineered bacteria. We highlight recent advances in bacterial synthetic biology approaches for the treatment of colorectal cancer and systemic tumors and discuss the functionality and biochemical properties of novel containment approaches using hydrogel-based and electronic devices. Synthetic circuitry refinement and incorporation of novel functional modules have enabled more targeted detection of colonic tumors and delivery of anticancer compounds inside the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, as well as the design of tumor-homing bacteria capable of recruiting infiltrating T cells. Engineering challenges in these applications include the stability of the genetic circuits, long-term engraftment of the chosen chassis, and containment of the synthetic microbes' activity to the diseased tissues. Hydrogels are well-suited to the encapsulationo of living organisms due to their matrix structure and tunable porosity. The matrix structure allows a dried hydrogel to collect and contain GI contents. Engineered bacteria that sense GI tract inflammation or tumors and release bioactive metabolites to the targeted area can be encapsulated. Electronic devices can be enabled with additional measuring and data processing capabilities. We expect that engineered devices will become more important in the containment and delivery of synthetic microbes for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Novel 3D Printing Encapsulation Strategies for Perovskite Photodetectors

AbstractThis work presents two different encapsulation strategies for perovskite photodetectors by testing the device stability under elevated ambient humidity of 85% and room temperature (25 °C). The single layer structure is adopted in the devices in order to accelerate the aging tests. The best stability (retention of ≈90% of initial photoresponsivity on average after 24 h, and ≈73% after 168 h) is obtained for devices protected by a flexible UV‐curable resin shell and encapsulated with AB epoxy including a desiccant sheet. The effects of the epoxy outgassing, the presence of desiccant, and the bending ability of encapsulated devices are also investigated. Additionally, with the assistance of 3D printing technology, a new possibility of research in the aspect of electrical device encapsulation is developed. Rapid iterative modifications in materials, shape, inner structure, and easy integration with outer component like desiccant ball/sheet make 3D printing assistance an ideal solution for the design of the encapsulation configuration and its early verification. This work not only opens up an optimal way for perovskite encapsulation by the 3D printing technology, but also provides an ideal solution for the design of the encapsulation configuration and its early verification.

Effective Passivation with Size‐Matched Alkyldiammonium Iodide for High‐Performance Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells

AbstractOrganic ammonium salts have been widely used for defect passivation to suppress nonradiative charge recombination in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, they are prone to form undesirable in‐plane favored 2D perovskites with poor charge transport capability that hamper device performance. Herein, the defects passivation role of alkyldiammonium including 1.6‐hexamethylenediamine dihydriodide (HDAI2), 1,3‐propanediamine dihydriodide (PDAI2), and 1.4‐butanediamine dihydriodide (BDAI2) for formamidinium‐cesium perovskite is systematically investigated. With help of density functional theory (DFT) calculations, BDA with suitable size can synergistically passivate two defect sites on perovskite surfaces, showing the best defect passivation effect among the above three alkyldiammonium salts. Perovskite films based on BDAI2 modification are found to keep the 3D perovskite phase with considerably reduced trap‐state density, and enhanced carrier extraction. As a result, the BDAI2‐modified devices deliver impressive efficiencies of 23.1% and 20.9% for inverted PSCs on the rigid and flexible substrates, respectively. Moreover, the corresponding encapsulated rigid devices maintain 92% of the initial efficiency after operating under continuous 1‐sun illumination with the maximum power point tracking for 1000 h. Furthermore, the mechanical flexibility of the BDAI2‐modified flexible device is also improved due to the release of residual stress.

All-Aqueous Freeform Fabrication of Perfusable Self-Standing Soft Compartments.

Compartmentalized structures obtained in all-aqueous settings have shown promising properties as cell encapsulation devices, as well as reactors for trans-membrane chemical reactions. While most approaches focus on the preparation of spherical devices, advances on the production of complex architectures have been enabled by the interfacial stability conferred by emulsion systems, namely mild aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS), or non-equilibrated analogues. However, the application of non-spherical structures has mostly been reported while keeping the fabricated materials at a stable interface, limiting the free-standing character, mobility and transposition of the obtained structures to different setups. Here, the fabrication of self-standing, malleable and perfusable tubular systems through all-aqueous interfacial assembly is shown, culminating in the preparation of independent objects with stability and homogeneity after disruption of the polymer-based aqueous separating system. Those hollow structures can be fabricated with a variety of widths, and rapidly printed as long structures at flow rates of 15mm s-1 . The materials are used as compartments for cell culture, showcasing high cytocompatibility, and can be tailored to promote cell adhesion. Such structures may find application in fields that benefit from freeform tubular structures, including the biomedical field with, for example, cell encapsulation, and benchtop preparation of microfluidic devices.

841-P: Scientific Basis for the First-in-Human Trial of “Neo-Islet”–Mediated Functional Cure of T1DM: The Intraperitoneal Administration of “Neo-Islets,” 3-D Organoids of Allogeneic Islet and Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Rodents, Dogs, and Humans Durably Cures

Initial reports from Clinical Trials with cell-based interventions for the urgently needed therapy of T1DM show: (1) An open, s.c.-placed encapsulation device containing insulin-producing progenitor cells that require anti-rejection drugs has failed to adequately improve glycemic control. (2) The i.v. administration of stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells, requiring anti-rejection drugs, has shown promising results in 1 or 2 subjects. However, their unknown systemic location and inability to retrieve these cells remain a concern. Our approach harnesses the immune-modulating and -isolating, anti-inflammatory, angiogenic, anti-apoptotic and other trophic actions of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) . First, we demonstrated that allogeneic Neo-islets (NIs) , islet-sized organoids composed of equal numbers of MSCs and culture expanded Islet Cells do, when given i.p., omentally engraft, redifferentiate, re-express all islet hormones (Abstract this meeting) and permanently restore euglycemia in auto-immune diabetic NOD mice, i.e., without encapsulation devices or antirejection drugs. The omentum becomes the new endocrine pancreas. Second, i.p. therapy of spontaneously diabetic pet dogs with allogeneic canine NIs significantly improved glycemia and insulin needs (> 3 years) , and this without immune response. Third, human NIs permanently correct streptozotocin-induced diabetes in NOD/SCID mice. Removal of the omentally-engrafted NIs promptly restores the diabetic state. No long-term complications of the NI therapy have been observed. Based on this body of evidence, a successful Pre-IND meeting with the FDA was held and final Proof-of-Concept studies that are expected to lead IND approval are ongoing. Disclosure C.Westenfelder: None. S.S.Chowdhury: Employee; SymbioCellTech, LLC. A.Gooch: Board Member; SymbioCellTech, LLC., Employee; SymbioCellTech, LLC., Stock/Shareholder; SymbioCellTech, LLC.

840-P: Proof of Concept of I.P. Administered Neo-Islet (NI) T1DM Biotherapy: Omentum Becomes the New Endocrine Pancreas by Spontaneous Redifferentiation of In Vitro Dedifferentiated Islet Cells

We published that treatment with allogeneic, species specific NIs, organoids of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) and culture expanded islet cells (ICs) functionally cured/improved the diabetic state in NOD mice, insulin dependent pet dogs, and NOD/SCID mice treated with dog or human NIs without requiring antirejection drugs or encapsulation devices (see also abstract this meeting) . Fig 1 summarizes the mode of action of NI therapy and experimental detail: Dedifferentiated ICs (∼ 6 PDLs) are incorporated into NIs and implanted into diabetic animals. They redifferentiate in vivo and normalize blood glucose levels as demonstrated by gene expression analysis on NIs retrieved from euglycemic diabetic mice at 21 weeks post administration. As seen in the right portion of the graph, gene expression levels of islet endocrine hormones in retrieved NIs are not significantly different from those of freshly isolated islets (log10 (RQ) < ± 2) . These data demonstrate that although culture expansion of islet cells decreases endocrine gene expression as a function of PDLs, incorporation of ICs into NIs and implantation into a diabetic subject results in redifferentiation of the ICs, reestablishment of euglycemia, and restoration of islet hormone gene expression. Disclosure A.Gooch: Board Member; SymbioCellTech, LLC., Employee; SymbioCellTech, LLC., Stock/Shareholder; SymbioCellTech, LLC. S.S.Chowdhury: Employee; SymbioCellTech, LLC. C.Westenfelder: None.

ALTEN: A High-Fidelity Primary Tissue-Engineering Platform to Assess Cellular Responses Ex Vivo.

To fully investigate cellular responses to stimuli and perturbations within tissues, it is essential to replicate the complex molecular interactions within the local microenvironment of cellular niches. Here, the authors introduce Alginate‐based tissue engineering (ALTEN), a biomimetic tissue platform that allows ex vivo analysis of explanted tissue biopsies. This method preserves the original characteristics of the source tissue's cellular milieu, allowing multiple and diverse cell types to be maintained over an extended period of time. As a result, ALTEN enables rapid and faithful characterization of perturbations across specific cell types within a tissue. Importantly, using single‐cell genomics, this approach provides integrated cellular responses at the resolution of individual cells. ALTEN is a powerful tool for the analysis of cellular responses upon exposure to cytotoxic agents and immunomodulators. Additionally, ALTEN's scalability using automated microfluidic devices for tissue encapsulation and subsequent transport, to enable centralized high‐throughput analysis of samples gathered by large‐scale multicenter studies, is shown.

Fully solution-processed, light-weight, and ultraflexible organic solar cells

Organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices have the potential to be superior to other PV technologies for the use in applications that require very high flexibility or maximum specific power (power-per-weight ratio), such as textile integration, wearable electronics, or outer space applications. However, OPV devices also require encapsulation by barrier films to reduce the degradation driven by extrinsic factors, which in turn limits their flexibility and leads to lower specific power values. In this work, fully solution-processed (including both electrodes) semitransparent organic solar cells (OSCs) with performance comparable with conventional indium tin oxide-based devices are processed directly onto different barrier films of varying thicknesses. Direct cell fabrication onto barrier films leads to the elimination of the additional polyethylene terephthalate substrate and one of the two adhesive layers in the final stack of an encapsulated OPV device by replacing the industrial state-of-the-art sandwich encapsulation with a top-only encapsulation process, which yields significantly thinner and lighter ‘product-relevant’ PV devices. In addition to the increase of the specific power to 0.38 W g−1, which is more than four times higher than sandwich-encapsulated devices, these novel OSCs exhibit better flexibility and survive 5000 bending cycles with 4.5 mm bending radius. Moreover, the devices show comparable stability as conventionally encapsulated devices under constant illumination (1 sun) in ambient air for 1000 h. Finally, degradation under damp heat conditions (65 °C, 85% rh) was investigated and found to be determined by a combination of different factors, namely (UV) light soaking, intrinsic barrier properties, and potential damaging of the barriers during (laser) processing.

Engineering Vascularized Islet Macroencapsulation Devices: An in vitro Platform to Study Oxygen Transport in Perfused Immobilized Pancreatic Beta Cell Cultures.

Islet encapsulation devices serve to deliver pancreatic beta cells to type 1 diabetic patients without the need for chronic immunosuppression. However, clinical translation is hampered by mass transport limitations causing graft hypoxia. This is exacerbated in devices relying only on passive diffusion for oxygenation. Here, we describe the application of a cylindrical in vitro perfusion system to study oxygen effects on islet-like clusters immobilized in alginate hydrogel. Mouse insulinoma 6 islet-like clusters were generated using microwell plates and characterized with respect to size distribution, viability, and oxygen consumption rate to determine an appropriate seeding density for perfusion studies. Immobilized clusters were perfused through a central channel at different oxygen tensions. Analysis of histological staining indicated the distribution of viable clusters was severely limited to near the perfusion channel at low oxygen tensions, while the distribution was broadest at normoxia. The results agreed with a 3D computational model designed to simulate the oxygen distribution within the perfusion device. Further simulations were generated to predict device performance with human islets under in vitro and in vivo conditions. The combination of experimental and computational findings suggest that a multichannel perfusion strategy could support in vivo viability and function of a therapeutic islet dose.

Epoxy Mold Compound Encapsulation Concept for Large-Area Power Devices

A new concept for encapsulation of discrete bipolar high-power devices using epoxy mold compound (EMC) is demonstrated on silicon 4.5-kV press-pack fast recovery diodes (FRDs) with wafer diameter up to 130 mm and molybdenum pressure-release buffer up to 140 mm in diameter. The silicon wafers can be bonded to molybdenum disks using the low-temperature bonding (LTB) process or they can be fixed mechanically by the EMC without direct bonding (free floating). The encapsulated devices can be applied as housing-less or they can be inserted into hermetic ceramic housings with pole piece of 143 mm. The design aspects relevant for reliable operation are presented using multiphysics simulation in COMSOL. The summary of passed reliability tests, including electrical testing in true application conditions, demonstrates readiness of the concept for demanding applications in the temperature range up to 140 °C.

Integrating process management and event processing in smart factories: A systems architecture and use cases

The developments of new concepts for an increased digitization of manufacturing industries in the context of Industry 4.0 have brought about novel system architectures and frameworks for smart production systems. These range from generic frameworks for Industry 4.0 to domain-specific architectures for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). While most of the approaches include a service-based architecture for selective integration with enterprise systems, a close two-way integration of the production control systems and IIoT sensors and actuators with Process-Aware Information Systems (PAIS) on the management level for automation and mining of production processes is rarely discussed. This fusion of Business Process Management (BPM) with IIoT can be mutually beneficial for both research areas, but is still in its infancy. We propose a systems architecture for IIoT that shows how to integrate the low-level hardware components–sensors and actuators–of a smart factory with BPM systems. We discuss the software components and their interactions to address challenges of device encapsulation, integration of sensor events, and interaction with existing BPM systems. This integration is demonstrated within several use cases regarding process modeling, automation and mining for a smart factory model, showing benefits of using BPM technologies to analyze, control, and adapt discrete production processes in IIoT.