Hao‐Chih Liu, Sunyoup Lee, Sangkyun Kang, Christopher F. Edwards and Fritz B. Prinz
A rapid prototyping process applying ceramic gelcasting and assembly mould shape deposition manufacturing has been developed to fabricate mesoscale silicon nitride components with…
Abstract
A rapid prototyping process applying ceramic gelcasting and assembly mould shape deposition manufacturing has been developed to fabricate mesoscale silicon nitride components with complex 3D geometry. An overview of the fabrication of Si3N4 burner arrays for gas turbine reheat applications is demonstrated. The design of burner arrays features internal fuel passages and integrated fuel injection elements, which cannot be manufactured by conventional methods. Geometrical decomposition of design models and recent developments in ceramic processing provide a novel approach in prototyping the burner arrays. In this paper, issues of materials compatibility, mould fabrication strategies, ceramic processing, and design iterations will be discussed along with the functional test of the 4×4 burner array.
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Nik Alia Wan Ab Rahman, Sangkyun Kim and Steve Brown
This chapter aims to develop a holistic conceptual understanding of how tourism experiences are constructed, contextualized and packaged in the context of travel blogs. Tourist…
Abstract
This chapter aims to develop a holistic conceptual understanding of how tourism experiences are constructed, contextualized and packaged in the context of travel blogs. Tourist experiences are highlighted as an on-going process, continuously changing and altering during pre-, on-site-, and post-visit of tourist experiences. This chapter also examines the relationships between travel blog users’ motivation and engagement and tourist experience construction. As a result, a new dimension to the previous tourist experiences is offered.
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To seek to produce low‐voltage, soft mechanical actuators entirely via freeform fabrication as part of a larger effort to freeform fabricate complete electromechanical devices…
Abstract
Purpose
To seek to produce low‐voltage, soft mechanical actuators entirely via freeform fabrication as part of a larger effort to freeform fabricate complete electromechanical devices with lifelike and/or biocompatible geometry and function.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors selected ionomeric polymer‐metal composite (IPMC) actuators from the literature and the authors' own preliminary experiments as most promising for freeform fabrication. The authors performed material formulation and manual device fabrication experiments to arrive at materials which are amenable to robotic deposition and developed an SFF process which allows the production of complete IPMC actuators and their fabrication substrate integrated within other freeform fabricated devices. The authors freeform fabricated simple IPMC's, explored some materials/performance interactions, and preliminarily characterized these devices in comparison to devices produced by non‐SFF methods.
Findings
Freeform fabricated IPMC actuators operate continuously in air for more than 4 h and 3,000 bidirectional actuation cycles. The output stress scaled to input power is one to two orders of magnitude inferior to that of non‐SFF devices. Much of this difference may be associated with process‐sensitive microstructure of materials. Future work will investigate this performance gap.
Research limitations/implications
Device performance is sufficient to continue exploration of SFF of complete electromechanical devices, but will need improvement for broader application. The feasibility of the approach for producing devices with complex, non‐planar geometry has not been demonstrated.
Practical implications
This work demonstrates the feasibility of freeform fabricating IPMC devices, and lays groundwork for further development of the materials and methods.
Originality/value
This work constitutes the first demonstration of complete, functional, IPMC actuators produced entirely by freeform fabrication.