Successful trials of titanium-copper alloys for 3D printing (on a Trumpf TruLaser Cell 7020) could kickstart a new range of high-performance alloys for medical device, defense, and aerospace applications.

Current titanium alloys used in additive manufacturing (AM) often cool and bond together in column-shaped crystals during the 3D printing process, making them prone to cracking or distortion.

And unlike aluminum or other commonly used metals, there is no commercial grain refiner for titanium that manufacturers can use to effectively refine the microstructure to avoid these issues.

© RMIT University | https://www.rmit.edu.au

But now a new titanium alloy with copper appears to have solved this problem.

Professor Mark Easton from RMIT University's School of Engineering says their titanium-copper alloy printed with exceptional properties without any special process control or additional treatment.

"Of particular note was its fully equiaxed grain structure: this means the crystal grains had grown equally in all directions to form a strong bond, instead of in columns, which can lead to weak points liable to cracking,” Easton says. "Alloys with this microstructure can withstand much higher forces and will be much less likely to have defects, such as cracking or distortion, during manufacture.

The collaborative project involved leading researchers in the area of alloy composition and grain microstructure from RMIT University, CSIRO, the University of Queensland, and The Ohio State University.

CSIRO Senior Principal Research Scientist, Dr. Mark Gibson, says their findings also suggest similar metal systems could be treated in the same way to improve their properties.

"Titanium-copper alloys are one option, particularly if the use of other additional alloying elements or heat treatments can be employed to improve the properties further,” Gibson says. “But there are also a number of other alloying elements that are likely to have similar effects. These could all have applications in the aerospace and biomedical industries."

Gibson notes the new breed of alloys could increase manufacturers' production rates and allow for more complex parts to be manufactured.

"In general, it opens up the possibility of developing a new range of titanium-based alloys specifically developed for 3D printing with exceptional properties," Gibson says. “It has been a delight, as it has been my good fortune for some time, to work on such an interesting and significant project as this with such a talented band of scientists."

BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company of Ben-Gurion University (BGU) of the Negev, Israel announced today that researchers at BGU, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati Children's), University of Cincinnati (UC), and Soroka Medical Center, Beer Sheva, Israel have developed a novel technology for unblocking and removing secretions from airways for the treatment of patients suffering from diseases effecting the respiratory tract such as bronchiolitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cystic fibrosis (CF).

The technology is being developed by Professor David Katoshevski, Unit of Environmental Engineering, BGU, and Dr. Yuval Cavari from Soroka Medical Center, within the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, in collaboration with Professor Ephraim Gutmark, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and College of Medicine, UC, and Dr. Iris Little, Assistant Professor in the Division of Endocrinology at Cincinnati Children's within the UC Department of Pediatrics. The technology introduces air pressure and acoustic pulses into the airway and lungs over a low-pressure airstream aimed to treat the core of obstructive airways pathophysiology diseases and buildup of mucus in the small airways. The idea is to simultaneously apply a combination of low frequency flow oscillations and high frequency acoustic waves to facilitate detachment of the mucus from the airway wall and removal of mucus by breaking down or agglomerating mucus chunks. 

“Finding treatments for small airways diseases is of special interest to us since children's airways are more susceptible to airway obstruction due to secretion because of smaller airways cross sectional area.  Cincinnati Children's is a world leader in treating patients with CF and airway clearance is an integral part of their clinical care practice,” says Little.

"The combination of air pulsation and acoustic waves was shown to be effective in a series of lab test that simulated human airway and lungs. Our collaboration with Cincinnati Children's and BGU laid the foundation for developing this novel technique.  In light of these studies, we are now in the process of further developing a device based on a unique clinical protocol that will offer treatment superior to existing solutions," notes Gutmark.

"Even though airway secretions are a major component in the pathophysiology of numerous serious diseases affecting the respiratory tract, there is currently no effective therapeutic modality that directly or indirectly treats the small airways," states Katoshevski. "Our colleagues at Soroka and Cincinnati Children's brought the medical knowledge and unmet need that was coupled with our technical and engineering capabilities, and together we developed this innovative solution in order to allow bronchiolitis, COPD and CF patients to breathe freely."

In 2012, BGU and Cincinnati Children's entered into a multi-year collaboration to address the lack of medical devices designed specifically for children. The goal of the collaboration is to improve health outcomes for children by ensuring device design that is customized to meet children's unique physiology and medical needs. The collaboration pairs BGU's technical and engineering capabilities with the medical expertise of Cincinnati Children's physicians. To date, hundreds of projects have been reviewed under the collaboration, out of which selected ones have received the first round of funding, with all funding contingent upon achieving project-specific developmental milestones. The funds are contributed by both BGU and Cincinnati Children's.

“This is another example of a potentially effective therapeutic device that emerged from our fruitful research collaboration with Cincinnati Children," comments Netta Cohen, CEO of BGN Technologies. “We are advancing the development of this technology that is applicable for a wide range of indications, while seeking a strategic partner for further development and commercialization of this breakthrough invention."

Spectrum Plastics Group has completed expansion of its Sandy, Utah operation, doubling the site’s footprint and establishing a 100,000ft² state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

The Spectrum Plastics Sandy, Utah operation is the Center-of-Excellence of the company’s Vascular Technologies division, and it is also the former headquarters of Apollo Medical Extrusion, now part of Spectrum Plastics Group. Today, Apollo is the advanced extrusion technology brand of Spectrum Plastics and represents industry-leading, quick-turn and custom tight tolerance microbore and multi-lumen extrusion. Powered by Apollo technology, the facility will now also encompass full-scale catheter sub-assembly and manufacture as part of Spectrum Plastics Group.

Spectrum Plastics projects that the expansion will create more than 100 new jobs for operators, technicians and engineers. The facility currently features 15,000ft² of new Class 7 clean room space for production of complex catheter sub-assemblies; a dedicated area for the Apollo Space Camp experience and training; and new braiding, coiling, reflow, tipping, and flaring catheter development equipment. To further enhance the customer experience, it boasts additional front office and meeting room space.

The new facility expansion will support the growth of both microbore extrusion and full-scale catheter manufacturing for Spectrum Plastics. New technology features will include a state-of-the-art extrusion line with advanced controls and equipment to produce small to medium-sized runs of drawn polymer monofilament, predominantly aimed at braiding applications for MRI-safe catheters. Spectrum Plastics will be able to bring their extensive material extrusion experience to this growing monofilament application.

Lincoln Electric offers welding training experience with VRTEX series

Lincoln Electric virtual reality arc welding simulators, VRTEX, provide powerful, cutting-edge solutions for cultivating welding talent quickly and resourcefully. From superior graphics creating the most realistic and responsive welding puddles available, to exceptionally accurate sounds and movements, what can be learned virtually with VRTEX seamlessly transfers into real-world, hands-on welding training.

© Lincoln Electric | https://education.lincolnelectric.com/products/welding-training-systems

Exclusive to the Lincoln Electric, VRTEX now offers a dual user option, lowering cost per student and creating a more effective use of training budget dollars. In addition, the product line includes a full immersion VR headset. VRTEX is a popular choice among welding educators to help diagnose issues, develop skills and train welders in a variety of situations and orientations. VRTEX teaches welders of varying skill levels to weld using the most common welding processes and materials.

The full VRTEX product family includes:

• VRTEX 360+ (Dual User)
• VRTEX 360 Single User (Single User)
• VRTEX Transport + (Dual User)
• VRTEX Transport (Single User)
• VRTEX Engage
  

© Forest City Gear | https://www.forestcitygear.com

Forest City Gear expands gear shaping capacity

Forest City Gear added the Gleason GP300ES Gear Shaping Machine to its lineup for expanded capacity in shaping high precision internal and external gears. The GP300ES is the first machine of its kind in North America featuring an increased cutter spindle speed of 1,500 strokes per minute, giving significant new capability for the high speed production of precision spur and helical (internal and external) cylindrical gears up to 300mm in diameter.

The GP300ES is Forest City Gear’s seventh CNC Shaper, all with helical guideless capabilities, making the company one of the largest, most productive shaping resource available for contract gear production.

Solar Manufacturing builds MuShield’s first vacuum furnace

© Solar Manufacturing | https://solarmfg.com

The MuShield Co. has commissioned Solar Manufacturing to design their first-ever vacuum furnace. The furnace, built with a SolarVac Polaris control system and fully compliant to AMS2750E pyrometric specification, is designed to accommodate loads up to 36" x 36" x 72", and a maximum weight of 5,000 lb. The Solar furnace operates at a vacuum level of 10-5 Torr with the capability of maximum temperatures up to 2,400°F and with an external quench system for pressures up to two bar. MuShield is expanding with additional space which will house the new Solar furnace. The company aims to better serve the magnetic shielding industry by providing material designed to protect sensitive electronics from magnetic fields.

Solar Atmospheres, Western PA constructs new brazing/assembly room

Solar Atmospheres of Western PA has completed construction of a new brazing and assembly room. Though built primarily to accommodate a large aluminum brazing project for a specific customer, the room will be used for other brazing and assembly work, as well.

The temperature- and humidity-controlled room provides a clean environment for the critical assembly and alloying methods employed by Solar. All inventories of the clean components for final assemblies will be safely stored within the new space.