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This paper presents a novel mesoscale RF (mRF) relay that integrates advanced high resolution stereolithography (SL) and micro wire electro discharge machining (μEDM) technologies. Methods and infrastructure for reliable batch assembly of electromechanical actuators and structural parts less than 5 mm³ in volume are described. Switches made using these techniques are expected to have greater power handling capability relative to current micro RF relay products.

The conjecture is that the integration of SL and similar rapid additive manufacturing with other mesofabrication technologies can yield innovative miniature products with novel capabilities. A series of mRF prototypes consisting of a contact mechanism and actuator with return spring were fabricated assembled, inspected, and characterized for electromechanical performance. Characterization results led to specific conclusions regarding capabilities of the mRF product, and the integrated manufacturing technique.

The microassembly apparatus and epoxy‐based fastening system led to durable prototypes within 4 h (excluding a 16‐24 h cure cycle). Relay stroke ranged from 560 to 1,650 μm indicating a relative assembly accuracy of 90 percent. Prototypes demonstrated insertion loss of 1.3 dB at 100 MHz and isolation of better than 30 dB through 300 MHz.

Results indicated that fully functional and robust mesoscale relays are possible using integrated manufacturing with SL. However, prototypes exhibited high contact resistance and lacked assembly precision in the context of contact mechanism stroke. Opportunities exist to reduce contact resistance and switching time.

The research provides a practical new product application for integrated mesoscale rapid manufacturing.

This work represents one of the first examples of a mesoscale relay rapidly manufactured with a combination of μEDM and SL components.

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate a method for producing embedded horizontal micro‐channels using a commercial line‐scan stereolithography (SL) system. To demonstrate that the method is repeatable, reproducible and capable of producing accurate horizontal micro‐channels, a statistical design of experiments was performed.

Demonstration of the technique was performed using a 3D Systems Viper si2^TM SL system and DSM Somos^® WaterShed^TM resin with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)‐coated wire having diameters of 31.6 and 57.2 μm. By embedding the wire and building around the insert, the down‐facing surfaces were supported during fabrication enabling accurate fabrication of embedded micro‐channel geometries. The fabrication method involved first building an open micro‐channel, interrupting the SL process and inserting the wire, and then capping over the wire with multiple layers. After fabrication, the part with the inserted micro‐wire was post‐cured to harden any uncured resin around the wire. The micro‐channel was produced by simply pulling the wire out of the part. Scanning electron microscope images were used to examine and measure the geometries of the fabricated micro‐channels, and characterization through a statistical analysis was accomplished to show that the process was capable of producing accurate horizontal micro‐channels.

The measured data showed that the micro‐wires were successfully removed from the channels, leaving high quality micro‐channels, where the mean measured diameters for each wire were 2.65 and 2.18 μm smaller than the measured wire diameters (31.6 and 57.2 μm). Based on the statistical results, it is suggested that the method described in this work can rapidly produce repeatable and reproducible circular, embedded, and accurate micro‐channels.

The method developed in the current work was demonstrated on simple straight channels and a statistical study was used to show that the process is capable of repeatedly and reproducibly producing accurate micro‐channels with circular cross‐section; however, future studies are required to extend these procedures to more realistic and complicated geometries that may include non‐straight channel paths and non‐circular cross‐sectional geometries. The process can be used for micro‐channel fabrication with not only circular cross‐sectional geometries as shown here but potentially with a wide range of additional cross‐sectional geometries that can be fabricated into a PTFE‐coated micro‐wire.

This work demonstrates a process using commercial line‐scan SL and embedding a PTFE‐coated micro‐wire that is subsequently removed for producing repeatable and reproducible horizontal embedded micro‐channels of circular cross‐sectional geometries.

The paper's aim is to show the development of materials and methods which allow freeform fabrication of macroscopic Zn‐air electrochemical batteries. Freedom of geometric design may allow for new possibilities in performance optimization.

The authors have formulated battery materials which are compatible with solid freeform fabrication (SFF) while retaining electrochemical functionality. Using SFF processes, they have fabricated six Zn‐air cylindrical batteries and quantitatively characterized them and comparable commercial batteries. They analyze their performance in light of models from the literature and they also present SFF of a flexible two‐cell battery of unusual geometry.

Under continuous discharge to 0.25 V/cell with a 100 Ω load, the cylindrical cells have a specific energy and power density in the range of 40‐70 J/g and 0.4‐1 mW/cm², respectively, with a mass range of 8‐18 g. The commercial Zn‐air button cells tested produce 30‐750 J/g and 7‐9 mW/cm² under the same conditions, and have a mass range of 0.2‐2 g. The two‐cell, flexible Zn‐air battery produces a nominal 2.8 V, open‐circuit.

The freeform‐fabricated batteries have ∼10 percent of the normalized performance of the commercial batteries. High‐internal contact resistance, loss of electrolyte through evaporation, and inferior catalyst reagent quality are possible causes of inferior performance. Complicated material preparation and battery fabrication processes have limited the number of batteries fabricated and characterized, limiting the statistical significance of the results.

Performance enhancement will be necessary before the packaging efficiency and design freedom provided by freeform‐fabricated batteries will be of practical value.

The paper demonstrates a multi‐material SFF system, material formulations, and fabrication methods which together allow the fabrication of complete functional Zn‐air batteries. It provides the first quantitative characterization of completely freeform‐fabricated Zn‐air batteries and comparison to objective standards, and shows that highly unusual, functional battery designs incorporating flexibility, multiple cells, and unusual geometry may be freeform fabricated.

During the past several years, research and studies in the field of solar energy have been continuously increased. One of the substantial applications of solar energy is related to industrial utilization for the drying process by efficient heat transfer methods. This study aims to upgrade the overall performance of an indirect solar dryer using a solar absorber extension tube (SET) equipped with ball-type turbulators.

In this work, three various SETs including hollow (SET Type 1), 6-balls (SET Type 2) and 10-balls (SET Type 3), have been simulated using Fluent software to evaluate heat transfer characteristics and flow structure along the air passage. Then, the modified solar drying system has been manufactured and tested at different configurations.

The findings indicated that adding a SET improved the performance notably. According to the results, using turbulators in the tube has a positive effect on heat transfer. The highest overall thermal efficiency was found in the range of 51.47%–64.71% for the system with SET Type 3. The maximum efficiency increment of the system was found as 19% with the use of SET. Also, the average specific moisture extraction rate, which is a significant factor to survey the effectiveness of the dehumidification system was found between 0.20 and 0.38 kg kWh⁻¹.

In the present study, a novel SET has been developed to upgrade the performance of the solar dehumidifier. This new approach makes it possible to improve both thermal and drying performances.

This paper focuses on production activity control (PAC) techniques used in Polish manufacturing companies. Investment in Polish plants by Western European, Japanese, Korean, and US companies raises the question of how ready Polish manufacturing companies are to implement various managerial techniques that have been used for many years in industrialized countries. A survey was sent to over 300 Polish companies. It asked the managers how they deal with typical shop floor control problems such as authorization to start work on an order, determining the sequence at work centers, deciding when to make the schedule and who can make changes in the schedule, adherence to due dates and determining lot sizes. Most of the managers received education from Polish schools and were not taught the principles of modern PAC techniques. The study shows that in many cases the managers learn fast and are in the process of understanding modern shop floor control principles. The research results should help many potential foreign investors to better understand the readiness of Polish manufacturing management to implement modern production planning and control techniques such as MRP, MRPII, or JIT.

This work aims to investigate the wear behavior of manganese phosphate coating on plasma nitrided AISI 5140 steel.

Prior to manganese phosphate coating, plasma nitriding of substrates was performed at gas mixture of 50 percent H₂ and 50 percent N₂, for the different treatment parameters. The structural, mechanical and tribological properties of the substrates were determined using hardness test, optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy , X‐ray diffraction and pin‐on‐disk tribotester. The wear behavior of untreated, nitrided and duplex treated substrates was evaluated under dry sliding conditions.

The results indicated that the duplex treatment improved the wear behavior. It was also observed that manganese phosphating of the nitrided substrates at low temperature (450°C‐2h‐N) resulted in a decrease of the wear rate and yielded a reduction in the friction coefficient by forming a transfer film at the counter face.

This study can be a practical reference and offers insight into the effects of duplex treating on the increase of wear resistance.

The purpose of the paper is to show the corrosion effect of benzotriazole in comparison with iron phosphate (PFe) coating as a sealer for the PFe layer in carbon steel paint pre-treatment and to show its ecological advantages as a more environment-friendly inhibiting compound than PFe.

Samples of carbon steel (SAE 1010) were phosphated in two baths, one containing iron PFe and PFe and BTAH (PFe + BTAH). Anodic potentiostatic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to evaluate the corrosion resistance of phosphated carbon steel in 0.1 molL−1 H₂SO₄, 0.5 molL−1 NaCl and 0.1 molL−1 NaOH. The phosphate layers obtained were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. Surface observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the PFe and PFe + BTAH layers are deposited as crystals with granular morphology. The electrochemical results showed that the PFe + BTAH coating was more effective in corrosion protection of the carbon steel.

This paper presents the application of benzotriazole as post-treatment of PFe-coated carbon steel. The results show that benzotriazole improves the phosphate layer properties. The SEM micrographs showed that the layer formed in PFe and PFe + BTAH baths consists of grain-like crystals, and infrared results revealed the BTAH presence in PFe phosphate. The corrosion resistance results showed higher efficiency associated to the PFe + BTAH phosphate layer relative to that of PFe. From the present study, results can be concluded that BTAH can be used as a post-treatment for PFe phosphate coating.

This paper deals with the corrosion resistance and surface carbon steel characterization of a new sealer for PFe coating, which has been prepared for this study and was never tested previously. These are candidate materials for substitution of chromium sealer. The BTAH sealer presents environmental and corrosion resistance advantages when compared with the post-treatment based on chrome. Although BTAH improves PFe layers’ properties, it is the worst phosphate coating. This manuscript has never been previously submitted and deals with original results.

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of different concentrations of pretreatment solution of copper acetate (1, 5 and 10 g/L) on the deposition, growth and protection ability of zinc phosphate coating.

Zinc phosphate coatings were deposited on steel surface by immersion method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to study the morphological evolution and chemical analysis of formed coatings. The electrochemical performance of the coatings was evaluated via potentiodynamic polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and immersion test in an aerated 3.5% NaCl solution.

The results showed that the activation treatment accelerated the deposition of the phosphate coating and improved its surface coverage. A higher phosphate coating weight (7.35 g/m²) and more compact structure was obtained with pretreatment solution of 1 g/L copper acetate. Electrochemical results revealed that the protection ability of the phosphated substrates was markedly enhanced after the pretreatment, and the best corrosion protection was obtained with a concentration of 1 g/L copper acetate solution. The corrosion current density of phosphated substrate was reduced by 64.9% after activation treatment with 1 g/L copper acetate solution.

In this investigation, dense, stable and compact zinc phosphate layers with improved corrosion resistance were formed on a carbon steel surface after activation pretreatment with copper acetate solution prior to a phosphating step.

Currently, negotiation on global carbon emissions reduction is very difficult owing to lack of international willingness. In response, geoengineering (climate engineering) strategies are proposed to artificially cool the planet. Meanwhile, as the harbor around one-third of all described marine species, coral reefs are the most sensitive ecosystem on the planet to climate change. However, until now, there is no quantitative assessment on the impacts of geoengineering on coral reefs. This study aims to model the impacts of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on coral reefs.

The HadGEM2-ES climate model is used to model and evaluate the impacts of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on coral reefs.

This study shows that (1) stratospheric aerosol geoengineering could significantly mitigate future coral bleaching throughout the Caribbean Sea; (2) Changes in downward solar irradiation, sea level rise and sea surface temperature caused by geoengineering implementation should have very little impacts on coral reefs; (3) Although geoengineering would prolong the return period of future hurricanes, this may still be too short to ensure coral recruitment and survival after hurricane damage.

This is the first time internationally to quantitatively assess the impacts of geoengineering on coral reefs.