Rapid Prototyping Laboratory Research Articles

Application Use of the HP Multijet Fusion Technology in the Rapid Prototyping of Wind Turbines with a Vertical Axis of Rotation

Abstract The article presents steps to be taken when designing a wind turbine with a vertical axis of rotation, based on the modification of the Savonius engine structure. The HP MultiJet Fusion additive manufacturing technology was used and discussed to generate experimental models. The results of numerical and experimental studies of the analyzed geometry of wind turbines, carried out at the Rapid Prototyping Laboratory and the Laboratory of Energy Machines, at the Department of Mechanics and Fundamentals of Machine Design, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn are presented.

Design and Construction of a Cost-Effective Didactic Robotic Arm for Playing Chess, Using an Artificial Vision System

This paper presents the design and construction of a robotic arm that plays chess against a human opponent, based on an artificial vision system. The mechanical design was an adaptation of the robotic arm proposed by the rapid prototyping laboratory FabLab RUC (Fabrication Laboratory of the University of Roskilde). Using the software Solidworks, a gripper with 4 joints was designed. An artificial vision system was developed for detecting the corners of the squares on a chessboard and performing image segmentation. Then, an image recognition model was trained using convolutional neural networks to detect the movements of pieces on the board. An image-based visual servoing system was designed using the Kanade–Lucas–Tomasi method, in order to locate the manipulator. Additionally, an Arduino development board was programmed to control and receive information from the robotic arm using Gcode commands. Results show that with the Stockfish chess game engine, the system is able to make game decisions and manipulate the pieces on the board. In this way, it was possible to implement a didactic robotic arm as a relevant application in data processing and decision-making for programmable automatons.

3d print of heart rhythm model with cryoballoon catheter ablation of pulmonary vein

Abstract The visualization of heart rhythm disturbance and atrial fibrillation therapy allows the optimization of new cardiac catheter ablations. With the simulation software CST (Computer Simulation Technology, Darmstadt) electromagnetic and thermal simulations can be carried out to analyze and optimize different heart rhythm disturbance and cardiac catheters for pulmonary vein isolation. Another form of visualization is provided by haptic, three-dimensional print models. These models can be produced using an additive manufacturing method, such as a 3d printer. The aim of the study was to produce a 3d print of the Offenburg heart rhythm model with a representation of an atrial fibrillation ablation procedure to improve the visualization of simulation of cardiac catheter ablation. The basis of 3d printing was the Offenburg heart rhythm model and the associated simulation of cryoablation of the pulmonary vein. The thermal simulation shows the pulmonary vein isolation of the left inferior pulmonary vein with the cryoballoon catheter Arctic Front AdvanceTM from Medtronic. After running through the simulation, the thermal propagation during the procedure was shown in the form of different colors. The three-dimensional print models were constructed on the base of the described simulation in a CAD program. Four different 3d printers are available for this purpose in a rapid prototyping laboratory at the University of Applied Science Offenburg. Two different printing processes were used and a final print model with additional representation of the esophagus and internal esophagus catheter was also prepared for printing. With the help of the thermal simulation results and the subsequent evaluation, it was possible to draw a conclusion about the propagation of the cold emanating from the catheter in the myocardium and the surrounding tissue. It was measured that just 3 mm from the balloon surface into the myocardium the temperature dropped to 25 °C. The simulation model was printed using two 3d printing methods. Both methods, as well as the different printing materials offer different advantages and disadvantages. All relevant parts, especially the balloon catheter and the conduction, are realistically represented. Only the thermal propagation in the form of different colors is not shown on this model. Three-dimensional heart rhythm models as well as virtual simulations allow very clear visualization of complex cardiac rhythm therapy and atrial fibrillation treatment methods. The printed models can be used for optimization and demonstration of cryoballoon catheter ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation.

The Barrow Innovation Center: A Novel Program in Neurosurgery Resident Education and Medical Device Innovation.

Medical innovation is the application of scientific knowledge and problem solving for the betterment of the human condition. Every great advancement in the field of neurosurgery can be traced back to a novel surgical procedure or technology that challenged existing standards of care. Considering the critical importance of innovation to the advancement of neurosurgery, and a surprising lack of formal training in innovation among residency programs, we sought to create a residency training program in neurosurgical innovation. Neurosurgery residents at the authors’ institution envisioned the creation of a program that contained all the necessary equipment, personnel, and information required to bring their ideas from theoretical concepts to functional devices implemented in a clinical setting. The Barrow Innovation Center was established as a result. The center currently comprises a rapid prototyping laboratory and several collaborative partnerships between neurosurgery residents, patent law students, and biomedical engineering students. The creation of this model was guided by an overarching mission to educate the next generation of neurosurgical innovators. With modest start-up capital and strong faculty and institutional support, the center has grown from a simple idea to a multistate, multidisciplinary collaboration in just 18 months; it has generated substantial intellectual property, educational opportunities, and a new business entity. We hope that by continuing to advance the Barrow Innovation Center and its core mission of innovation education, we will advance the field of neurosurgery by providing the next generation of surgeon-scientists with the skills, knowledge, and opportunity needed to revolutionize the field.

Environmental, health, and safety issues in rapid prototyping

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the potential impacts of rapid prototyping systems on the health and safety of operators and the environment, a growing concern given its wide-spread use in industry and academia. Design/methodology/approach – Materials, processing and equipment features were used to identify potential health and safety risks and hazards, as well as environmental effects. Findings – The study concludes with a “best practices” guide for rapid prototyping laboratories and service bureaus. Originality/value – A thorough literature search revealed that Stephen M. Deak, the Rapid Prototyping Department Manager at Hasbro Inc., is the pioneer of the safety and health concerns in the rapid prototyping area. He is the only person to publish papers in this field in addition to these authors’ recent publications. His papers focused on the rapid prototyping laboratory safety guidelines and safe work practices in the rapid prototyping area.

Remotely Accessible Rapid Prototyping Laboratory: design and implementation framework

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the development and implementation of a Remotely Accessible Rapid Prototyping Laboratory (RRPL) established at Tennessee Tech University. Instructional materials and best practices are also reported.

Opportunities of ALD for Thin Film Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

In this paper I summarize several recent publications on thin film fuel cells performed at the Rapid Prototyping Laboratory at Stanford University. Reference is also made to the simulation of oxide ion conduction in yttria-stabilized zirconia. During the talk at the 214th ECS meeting, I plan on discussing previously unpublished data as well.

Acquisition steps of a Remotely Accessible Rapid Prototyping laboratory

Remotely accessible laboratories are becoming increasingly popular across a wide range of disciplines. The objective of this project is to develop and disseminate a Remotely Accessible Rapid Prototyping (RRP) Laboratory at Tennessee Technological University (TTU). This laboratory facility is physically located on the TTU Campus, but internet-based controls, interactive tutorials and scheduling allow this equipment to be used across TTU, Tennessee Board of Regent (TBR) technology centres and community colleges across the state of Tennessee and eventually nationwide. Since an RP laboratory facility has already been established through a previous National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, this new endeavour increases its accessibility via ubiquitous web-based communication tools. As such, this enables many more students and instructors to develop their skills set and knowledge base with cutting-edge RP technology. This project has many wide-ranging impacts. Foremost, the work helps to promote the awareness of RP technology and to improve related teaching and learning paradigms. In particular, adding a remote access capability allows many more users to benefit from state-of-the-art RP technology, thereby better justifying the cost of purchasing and maintaining the overall facility. Furthermore, the successful development of a remote RP lab provides new insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the remote access environments, and therefore provides vital insights for both the design/manufacturing technology and distance education communities alike.

Case study: promoting design automation by rural manufacturers

PurposeThis paper describes a cooperative endeavor between a state university and a federal agency to modernize design automation among rural manufacturers. It concerns efforts to infuse leading‐edge design technology into rural product development.Design/methodology/approachBoise State University established a rapid prototyping (RP) laboratory and conducted an information campaign targeting Idaho's design and manufacturing sector. About 12 rural companies participated in a program supported by a federal grant wherein they received solid modeling and RP services while developing a product.FindingsSignificant unfamiliarity about benefits of solid modeling and RP persists amongst Idaho's rural manufacturers. When exposed to the potential of these technologies, manufactures readily move to adopt them into their new product development processes. Those companies adapting design automation improved their capability to bring products to the marketplace more rapidly and with greater market success.Practical implicationsOther regions with similar dispersion of manufacturing can disseminate knowledge of advanced design automation technology and services through promotional approaches as described in this paper.Originality/valueThe paper focuses on a cooperative endeavor to infuse leading‐edge design technology into rural product development.

Demonstration of Lockheed's Computer-Human Interface Rapid Prototyping (CHIRP) Toolkit

The main purpose of this demonstration is to show the capabilities of the CHIRP Toolkit which is being developed at the Lockheed Rapid Prototyping Laboratory in Sunnyvale, CA. CHIRP is designed to aid the human factors engineer in the development, demonstration and evaluation of advanced forms of computer-human interaction (CHI). The demonstration will show the ease with which high fidelity prototypes of interactive graphical user interfaces (GUIs) can be developed using a form of visual programming. CHIRP contains both primitive GUI objects (e.g., a button and a menu selection bar) and higher-level prefabricated interface modules (e.g., a panel of buttons and a complete pull-down menu structure). Reusable maps, globes, images, graphs, analog displays and other useful graphical objects are stored in application graphics libraries. Special interactive graphics creation utilities are provided to support rapid development of application scenarios involving orbital mechanics, image processing, tracking and signal processing. Examples resulting from a variety of rapid prototyping activities involving CHIs for graphics-oriented military and commercial applications will be shown. These examples will illustrate the value of CHI prototyping in all phases of the computer system development cycle. CHIRP-based prototypes have been successfully used for marketing activities, for verification of system requirements, for simulating concepts of operation, for risk reduction studies, for usability evaluations, and for training users. Specific examples shown in this demonstration include a data fusion GUI designed for a proof of concept review, an animated 3D graphics orbital mechanics simulation used for requirements analysis and risk reduction studies, and an interactive GUI remote diagnostics prototype used for workload analysis studies and as a part-task trainer. Since the CHIRP Toolkit is a continuously evolving product, the demonstration will include a brief preview of future developments, including a capability to prototype multimedia CHIs which incorporate imagery, sound, and interactive video.