Design and fabrication of gypsum mold for injection molding

Traditionally, a mold made of gypsum can only be used in a low-pressure molding, e.g. casting, due to the weak strength of gypsum material. This study addresses the potential of gypsum as a candidate for rapid tooling used in injection molding. The ingredients for the gypsum mold were decided upon, and an additional compression with a vibration process was introduced to enhance the mechanical strength of the gypsum mold. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results show that the amount of void inside the gypsum mold is reduced, and more interlocking of the microstructure of gypsum is formed by increasing the intensity of the compression with a vibration process. A higher degree of interlocking produces a significant enhancement of the compressive strength of the gypsum. Two samples were selected as master designs for testing the replication performance and lifetime of the gypsum mold. The dimensional replication accuracy of the molded part was over 99.9%. The maximum lifetime of the gypsum mold is about 210 cycles of injection shots. This work provides an alternative tooling for injection molding that can allow manufacturers to produce a small quantity of prototypes in an efficient and cost-effective way in the early stages of product development.     

反射型和透射型导模共振滤光片的设计

本文设计了中心波长为1315 nm的反射型和透射型导模共振滤光片,并利用严格耦合波法分析了其光谱特性。首先设计了中心波长1315 nm单层反射型导模共振滤光片,但由于覆盖层和基底层的折射率不匹配,使得远离中心波长处的反射率偏高,引入减反射层设计后,中心波长两侧的反射率明显降低。其次设计了中心波长1315 nm的透射型导模共振滤光片,分析了光栅层厚度对中心波长位置的影响。用严格耦合波法计算表明,设计的反射型和透射型导模共振滤光片具有优良的光谱性能。     

Design and fabrication of a novel reflection filter

Reflection filters are useful in optical communication, display, and other systems. A novel reflection filter is designed and fabricated. Analytical design formulas have been put forward and show good agreement with the measured maximum reflectance as well as with the bandwidth at the central wavelength. The effective admittance and distribution of the electrical field intensity are also calculated to analyze the properties of the filter. This novel filter with high peak reflectance, narrow bandwidth, and deep cutoff, is simple to design, easy to fabricate and convenient to integrate, compared with the conventional dielectric multilayer reflection filters.     

Polyethylene ionomer-based nano-composite foams prepared by a batch process and MuCell® injection molding

To understand the correlation between foamability and melt rheology of polyethylene-based ionomers having different degrees of the neutralization and corresponding nano-composites, we have conducted the foam processing via a batch process in an autoclave and microcellular foam injection molding (FIM) process using the MuCell^® technology. We have discussed the obtainable morphological properties in both foaming processes. All cellular structures were investigated by using field emission scanning electron microscopy. The competitive phenomenon between the cell nucleation and the cell growth including the coalescence of cell was discussed in light of the interfacial energy and the relaxation rate as revealed by the modified classical nucleation theory and rheological measurement, respectively. The FIM process led to the opposite behavior in the cell growth and coalescence of cell as compared with that of the batch process, where the ionic cross-linked structure has significant contribution to retard the cell growth and coalescence of cell. The mechanical properties of the structural foams obtained by FIM process were discussed.     

Design and fabrication of a mode rectangular X-cut quartz resonator with zero temperature coefficient

Rectangular X-cut quartz crystal resonators with cut angles /spl theta/ > 5.0/spl deg/ and aspect ratios R/sub zy/ (= width 2z/sub 0//length 2y/sub 0/) from 0.3 to 0.5 are investigated. The resonators oscillate mode is a length-extensional mode. A semiempirical frequency equation was derived from the stress expressed in terms of the trigonometric and the hyperbolic transcendental functions with constants estimated by the regression curve fit to the stress simulated by the finite-element method (FEM). Contours on which a point satisfies a zero first order temperature coefficient condition are shown in a cut angle /spl theta/ and R/sub zy/ diagram. We proved that a fabricated resonator with R/sub zy/ = 0.400 and /spl theta/ = 16.0/spl deg/, whose design parameter is located in the area of the contour, had a zero temperature coefficient.     

Fast patterning of poly(methyl methacrylate) by a novel soft molding approach and its application to the fabrication of silver structures

A novel single-step approach for the fabrication of poly(methyl methacrylate) structures by soft molding of a 5 wt% solution in acetone is reported. The use of a low weight solution and of a solvent with high volatility ensures a very fast patterning, down to 10 s. In addition, the process is extremely simple and cost-effective, since just one elastomeric mold is needed, and areas as large as 1 cm² were patterned uniformly and defect-free. The process was applied to the fabrication of silver structures by silver deposition via electroless plating or evaporation followed by poly(methyl methacrylate) removal. Structures of various shapes and sizes, with dimensions in the micrometer and submicrometer range were successfully fabricated, showing the versatility of the process. This silver patterning process is particularly well suited for applications in microelectronics and optoelectronics, such as the fabrication of transparent electrodes for solar cells and displays, manufacturing of metal etching masks and wiring of printed circuits.     

Design and fabrication of a length-extensional mode rectangular X-cut quartz resonator with zero temperature coefficient.

Rectangular X-cut quartz crystal resonators with cut angles theta > 5.0 degrees and aspect ratios Rzy (= width 2z0/length 2y0) from 0.3 to 0.5 are investigated. The resonators oscillate mode is a length-extensional mode. A semiempirical frequency equation was derived from the stress expressed in terms of the trigonometric and the hyperbolic transcendental functions with constants estimated by the regression curve fit to the stress simulated by the finite-element method (FEM). Contours on which a point satisfies a zero first order temperature coefficient condition are shown in a cut angle theta and Rzy diagram. We proved that a fabricated resonator with Rzy = 0.400 and theta = 16.0 degrees, whose design parameter is located in the area of the contour, had a zero temperature coefficient.     

Guided-mode resonance filter with an antireflective surface consisting of a buffer layer with refractive index equal to that of the grating

A type of guided-mode resonance filter (GMRF) with an antireflective surface consisting of a buffer layer with refractive index equal to that of the grating is proposed, and the approximate design approach is presented. The relation between the filter linewidth and the coupling loss is used to analyze the filter properties by using different derivation methods. It is shown that the dispersion equation of the slab waveguide may provide a reliable approximation in estimating the resonance locations of the GMRF with an antireflective surface. The buffer layer functions as an intermediate layer between the grating and waveguide layers. This reduces the coupling and out-coupling of a mode of the waveguide, which results in significant reduction of the coupling loss and the filter linewidth with the antireflection condition nearly preserved. By changing the thickness of the buffer layer, different linewidths can be obtained with spectral symmetry and sideband suppression almost kept the same. The slight shift of resonance wavelengths due to the variety of the buffer layer thickness and the etching effects can be adjusted to the design value by changing the grating period. Accurate etch depth control to avoid underetching is necessary. The electric field distributions under resonance conditions shows that the buffer layer increases the mode confinement, thus narrowing the filter linewidth.     

High-temperature piezoelectric film ultrasonic transducers by a sol-gel spray technique and their application to process monitoring of polymer injection molding

Thick-film (90 /spl mu/m) piezoelectric ceramic high-temperature ultrasonic transducers (HTUTs) have been successfully deposited on metallic substrates by a sol-gel spray technique. The gel is composed of fine powders of bismuth titanate dispersed in a lead-zirconate-titanate solution. The films with desired thickness have been obtained through multilayer coating approach. Piezoelectricity is achieved using the corona discharge poling method. The center frequencies of ultrasonic signals generated by these HTUTs are around 10 MHz and their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is more than 30 dB in pulse-echo mode at 500/spl deg/C. The main advantages of these new HTUTs are that they 1) are applicable at temperatures higher than 500/spl deg/C, 2) are miniature, 3) can be coated on flat and curved surfaces, 4) do not need ultrasonic couplant, 5) can be operated at low and medium megahertz frequency range with sufficient frequency bandwidth, and 6) have sufficient piezoelectric strength and SNR. The ability of the HTUTs to monitor the polymer injection molding process in real-time at the mold insert of the machine is demonstrated.     

Numerical simulation and optimization of the injection blow molding of polypropylene bottles - a single stage process

Single stage injection blow molding process, without preform storage and reheat, could be run on a standard injection molding machine, with the aim of producing short series of specific hollow parts. The polypropylene bottles are blow molded right after being injected. This implies that the preform has to remain sufficiently malleable to be blown while being viscous enough to avoid being pierced during the blow molding stage. These constraints lead to a small processing window, and so the process takes place between the melting temperature and the crystallization temperature, where the polypropylene is in its molten state but cool enough to enhance its viscosity without crystallizing. This single stage process introduces temperature gradients, high stretch rate and high cooling rate. Melt rheometry tests were performed to characterize the polymer behavior in the temperature range of the process, as well as Differential Scanning Calorimetry. A viscous Cross model is used with the thermal dependence assumed by an Arrhenius law. The process is simulated through a finite element code (POLYFLOW) in the ANSYS Workbench framework. The geometry allows an axisymmetric approach. The transient simulation is run under anisothermal conditions and viscous heating is taken into account. Sensitivity studies are carried out and reveal the influence of process parameters such as the material behavior, the blowing pressure and the initial temperature field. Thickness measurements using image analysis are performed and the simulation results are compared to the experimental ones. The simulation shows broad agreements with the experimental results. An optimization loop is run to determine the optimal initial thickness repartition. Design points are defined along the preform and the optimization modifies the thickness at these locations.     

Design and fabrication of CoCrMo alloy based novel structures for load bearing implants using laser engineered net shaping

Designing load bearing implants with the desired mechanical and biological performance and to fabricate net shape, functional implants with complex anatomical shapes is still a challenge. In addition, patient specific load bearing implants with the possibilities of guided tissue regeneration are gaining significant interest in orthopedics. Novel design approaches and fabrication technologies that can achieve balanced mechanical and functional performance in mono-block implants are necessary to accomplish these objectives. In this article we give an overview of our novel design concepts for load bearing metal implants and demonstrate the manufacturing of unitized implant structures with and/or without porosity using laser engineered net shaping (LENS?) — a solid freeform fabrication technique. We have fabricated porous metal implants with designed porosities up to 70 vol.% in various biomedical metals/alloys, such as Ti, Ti6Al4V, NiTi and CoCrMo, and tailored their effective modulus to suit the modulus of human cortical bone, thus eliminating stress-shielding. Unitized structures with functionally graded CoCrMo alloy coating on porous Ti6Al4V alloy have been fabricated using LENS? to minimize wear induced osteolysis. Finally, this technology can also be used to fabricate porous, net shape implants with functional gradation in structure and/or composition to mimic natural bone. Since the LENS? fabrication does not change the chemistry of the biocompatible alloys the inherent in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility will remain the same and therefore, we have not provided any biocompatibility results in this article. This article provide an insight into the important aspects of LENS? fabrication and properties of CoCrMo alloy structures, which can potentially eliminate long standing challenges in load bearing implants such as total hip prosthesis to increase their in vivo life time.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of titanium components fabricated by a new powder injection molding technique

A powder injection molding (PIM) binder system has been developed for reactive metals such as titanium that employs an aromatic compound as the primary component to facilitate easy binder removal and mitigate problems with carbon contamination. In the study presented here, we examined the densification behavior, microstructure, and mechanical properties of titanium specimens formed by this process using naphthalene as the principle binder constituent. In general, it was found that tensile strengths could be achieved comparable to wrought titanium in the PIM-formed specimens, but that maximum elongation was less than expected. Chemical and microstructural analyses indicate that this process does not add oxygen to the material,suggesting that the use of higher purity powder and further process optimization should lead to significant improvements in ductility.     

Quantification of fluid flow through a clinical blood filter and kidney dialyzer using magnetic resonance imaging

This paper demonstrates that magnetic resonance imaging can be used to visualize the internal structures and measure the flow velocity field within medical devices which are designed for clinical use (e.g., blood filters) or patient care (e.g., kidney dialyzers). Importantly, both the physical structure of and the flow field in such devices can be quantified in three dimensions.     

Characterization and optimization of a real-time, parallel, label-free, polypyrrole-based DNA sensor by surface plasmon resonance imaging

We describe in this paper a methodology to quantify multispot parallel DNA hybridizations and denaturations on gold surfaces by using, on one hand, a polypyrrole-based surface functionalization based on an electrospotting process and, on the other hand, surface plasmon resonance imaging allowing real-time measurements on several DNA spots at a time. Two characterization steps were performed in order to optimize the immobilization of oligonucleotide probes and, thus, to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of monitored hybridization signals: the first step consisted of characterizing the signal dependence upon the density of immobilized 15-mer probes, and, the second step, in analyzing the hybridization response versus spot thickness. We further demonstrated that a surface density of polypyrrole/DNA probes of approximately 130 fmol/ mm2 (590 pg/mm2) optimizes the hybridization signal that can be detected directly. Optimal thickness of the spot was found to be close to 11 nm. Specificity and regeneration steps on each spot have also been demonstrated successfully, showing this method to be very competitive and convenient in use.     

Splitting of femtosecond laser pulses by using a Dammann grating and compensation gratings

When a Dammann grating is used to split a beam of femtosecond laser pulses into multiple equal-intensity beams, chromatic dispersion will occur in beams of each order of diffraction and with different scale of angular dispersion because the incident ultrashort pulse contains a broad range of spectral bandwidths. We propose a novel method in which the angular dispersion can be compensated by positioning an m-time-density grating to collimate the mth-order beam that has been split, producing an array of beams that are free of angular dispersion. The increased width of the compensated output pulses and the spectral walk-off effect are discussed. We have verified this approach theoretically and validated it through experiments. It should be highly interesting in practical applications of splitting femtosecond laser pulses for pulse-width measurement, pump-probe measurement, and micromachining at multiple points.     

Tunable dual-wavelength optical short-pulse generation by use of a fiber Bragg grating and a tunable optical filter in a self-seeding scheme

A simple self-seeding scheme is developed to generate tunable dual-wavelength optical short pulses in a flexible manner and with an increased wavelength-tuning range. The wavelength selection and tuning are achieved by simultaneous use of a fiber Bragg grating and a tunable optical filter. The side-mode suppression ratio of the output pulses is better than 30 dB over a wavelength-tuning range of 33.8 nm. The system is compact and convenient for dual-wavelength tuning.     

Simultaneous formation of four fringes by using a polarization quadrature phase-shifting interferometer with wave plates and a diffraction grating

We present a new type of quadrature phase-shifting interferometer, which utilizes wave plates, a diffraction grating, and two lasers with different wavelengths, in order to acquire two sets of two quadrature fringe patterns in each wavelength formed on a single image sensor. This method for calculating with four phase-shifted fringe patterns gives us the phase sum and difference distributions between the phases in two wavelengths. This is also substantiated by results of our experiments.     

Resonance quenching and guided modes arising from the coupling of surface plasmons with a molecular resonance

In this paper, we describe experimental and modeling results that illucidate the nature of coupling between surface plasmon polaritons in a thin silver film with the molecular resonance of a zinc phthalocyanine dye film. This coupling leads to several phenomena not generally observed when plasmons are coupled to transparent materials. The increased absorption coefficient near a molecular resonance leads to a discontinuity in the refractive index, which causes branching of the plasmon resonance condition and the appearance of two peaks in the p-polarized reflectance spectrum. A gap exists between these peaks in the region of the spectrum associated with the molecular resonance and reflects quenching of the plasmon wave due to violation of the resonance condition. A second observation is the appearance of a peak in the s-polarized reflection spectra. The initial position of this peak corresponds to where the refractive index of the adsorbate achieves its largest value, which occurs at wavelengths just slightly larger than the maximum in the molecular resonance. Although this peak initially appears to be nondispersive, both experimental data and optical modeling indicate that increasing the film thickness shifts the peak position to longer wavelengths, which implies that this peak is not associated with the molecular resonance but, rather, is dispersive in nature. Indeed, modeling shows that this peak is due to a guided mode in the film, which appears in these conditions due to the abnormally high refractive index of the film near the absorbance maximum. Results also show that, with increasing film thickness, numerous additional guided modes appear and move throughout the visible spectrum for both s- and p-polarized light. Notably, these guided modes are also quenched near the location of the molecular resonance. The quenching of both the plasmon resonance and the guided modes can be explained by a large decrease in the in-plane wave propagation length that occurs near the molecular resonance, which is a direct result of the film's large absorption coefficient.     

Design and fabrication of a high performance multilayer piezoelectric actuator with bending deformation

A new bending mode multimorph actuator was designed and fabricated successfully by a multiple screen printing process. Unlike the conventional bimorph actuator in which the bend occurs in the thickness direction, the bend in the multimorph actuator occurs in the widthwise direction because of synchronistical deformation of each single monolithic layer in the multilayer structure. The theoretical analysis and experimental measurements were conducted to study the performance of this type of actuator, and a comparison was made with the conventional bimorph actuator. Larger displacement, higher resonance frequency, and much larger blocking force could be achieved with the multimorph actuator than with a bimorph actuator of similar dimensions. The multimorph actuator presented in this paper provides a valuable alternative for actuator applications beyond those available with the popular bimorph and longitudinal multilayer actuators.