M. A. Hassan

Nanocrystalline forsterite for biomedical applications: synthesis, microstructure and mechanical properties.

Forsterite (Mg2SiO4) because of its exceptionally high fracture toughness which is close to that of cortical bones has been nominated as a possible successor to calcium phosphate bioceramics. Recent in vitro studies also suggest that forsterite possesses good bioactivity and promotes osteoblast proliferation as well as adhesion. However studies on preparation and sinterability of nanocrystalline forsterite remain scarce. In this work, we use a solid-state reaction with magnesium oxide (MgO) and talc (Mg3Si4(OH)2) as the starting precursors to synthesize forsterite. A systematic investigation was carried out to elucidate the effect of preparatory procedures including heat treatment, mixing methods and sintering temperature on development of microstructures as well as the mechanical properties of the sintered forsterite body.

A Contrast Adjustment Thresholding Method for Surface Defect Detection Based on Mesoscopy

Titanium-coated surfaces are prone to tiny defects such as very small cracks, which are not easily observable by the naked eye or optical microscopy. In this study, two new thresholding methods, namely contrast-adjusted Otsus method and contrast-adjusted median-based Otsus method, are proposed for automated defect detection system for titanium-coated aluminum surfaces. The two proposed methods were compared with four existing thresholding techniques in terms of accuracy and speed of defect detections for images of 700, 900, and 1000 dpi obtained using high-resolution scanning. Experimental results have shown that the proposed contrast-adjusting methods have performance similar to minimum error thresholding (MET) and are generally better than Otsus method.

The nonlinear elastic and viscoelastic passive properties of left ventricular papillary muscle of a Guinea pig heart

The mechanical behavior of the heart muscle tissues is the central problem in finite element simulation of the heart contraction, excitation propagation and development of an artificial heart. Nonlinear elastic and viscoelastic passive material properties of the left ventricular papillary muscle of a guinea pig heart were determined based on in-vitro precise uniaxial and relaxation tests. The nonlinear elastic behavior was modeled by a hypoelastic model and different hyperelastic strain energy functions such as Ogden and Mooney-Rivlin. Nonlinear least square fitting and constrained optimization were conducted under MATLAB and MSC.MARC in order to obtain the model material parameters. The experimental tensile data was used to get the nonlinear elastic mechanical behavior of the heart muscle. However, stress relaxation data was used to determine the relaxation behavior as well as viscosity of the tissues. Viscohyperelastic behavior was constructed by a multiplicative decomposition of a standard Ogden strain energy function, W, for instantaneous deformation and a relaxation function, R(t), in a Prony series form. The study reveals that hypoelastic and hyperelastic (Ogden) models fit the tissue mechanical behaviors well and can be safely used for heart mechanics simulation. Since the characteristic relaxation time (900 s) of heart muscle tissues is very large compared with the actual time of heart beating cycle (800 ms), the effect of viscosity can be reasonably ignored. The amount and type of experimental data has a strong effect on the Ogden parameters. The in vitro passive mechanical properties are good initial values to start running the biosimulation codes for heart mechanics. However, an optimization algorithm is developed, based on clinical intact heart measurements, to estimate and re-correct the material parameters in order to get the in vivo mechanical properties, needed for very accurate bio-simulation and for the development of new materials for the artificial heart.

Friction aided deep drawing using newly developed blank-holder divided into eight segments

A new process on friction aided deep drawing has been developed in which a metal blank-holder divided into eight fan-shaped segments is used instead of an elastomer ring used in the Maslennikov process. This blank holding device consists of four drawing segments and four small wedges, which can move radially in- and out-wards under a certain blank-holding pressure. The drawing process can be efficiently performed using an assistant punch, which partially supports the deformation of the blank as well as improving the shape and dimensional accuracy of the drawn cup. Deep drawing experiments have been done using soft aluminum sheets of 0.5 and 1.0 mm in thickness to understand the main features of the proposed drawing process. Theoretical analyses based on the energy and slab methods have also been conducted to study the effect of main process parameters on the minimum blank holding pressure required for the onset of deformation, and to obtain the other optimum working conditions. The possibility of the new process has been confirmed by producing deep and successful cups with a drawing ratio of 4.0, although the number of drawing operations is still high.

A Fuzzy Logic-Based Prediction Model for Kerf Width in Laser Beam Machining

In laser beam machining, the main concern is the machining quality as kerf width of the end product. It is essential for industrial applications to cut the workpiece with minimum kerf width. However, it is difficult to develop a precise functional relationship between input and output variables in laser machining. Therefore, an effort has been conducted to build up an intelligent fuzzy expert system (FES) model to predict the kerf width in CO2 laser cutting. The employed input parameters were assisting gas pressure, laser power, cutting speed, and standoff distance. The fuzzy logic was performed on fuzzy toolbox in MATLAB R2009b by employing Mamdani technique. In total, 81 experiments were carried out and experimental results were used for training and testing of the developed fuzzy model. Relative error and goodness of fit were used to investigate the accuracy of the prediction ability and the values of 3.852% and 0.994, respectively, were found to be satisfactory. This paper will extend knowledge about the prediction of kerf width by using FES model.

Enhancing power transfer capability through flexible AC transmission system devices: a review *

Global demand for power has significantly increased, but power generation and transmission capacities have not increased proportionally with this demand. As a result, power consumers suffer from various problems, such as voltage and frequency instability and power quality issues. To overcome these problems, the capacity for available power transfer of a transmission network should be enhanced. Researchers worldwide have addressed this issue by using flexible AC transmission system (FACTS) devices. We have conducted a comprehensive review of how FACTS controllers are used to enhance the available transfer capability (ATC) and power transfer capability (PTC) of power system networks. This review includes a discussion of the classification of different FACTS devices according to different factors. The popularity and applications of these devices are discussed together with relevant statistics. The operating principles of six major FACTS devices and their application in increasing ATC and PTC are also presented. Finally, we evaluate the performance of FACTS devices in ATC and PTC improvement with respect to different control algorithms.

A novel technique of friction aided deep drawing using a blank-holder divided into four segments

Abstract A new process of friction aided deep drawing has been developed, in which the friction force between the blank and the blank-holder is used to aid the drawing deformation of the blank. This has been achieved by using a divided blank-holder, which consists of four segments and can move radially under axial pressure. The drawing process can be combined with a supplemental punch which gives a constant punch force during the drawing process. The experimental results show that there is no fracture at the flange of deformed blank, which is often observed in Maslennikov’s process. The present new process is a very good trial to secure the advantages of deep drawing with elastic tools, but by using rigid tools. Very deep cups can be produced by repeating the drawing process. Theoretical analysis based on the energy and slab methods has also been conducted to study the possibility and the main features of this new process.

Dissimilar friction stir welding between polycarbonate and AA 7075 aluminum alloy

Abstract In this paper, the effects of process parameters, such as the tool rotational and traverse speeds, on temperature evolution and the microstructural and mechanical properties of dissimilar friction stir welding between 3 mm thick AA 7075 aluminum alloy and polycarbonate (PC) plates were investigated. The tool rotational and traverse speeds were varied from 3000 to 3500 rpm and 50 to 150 mm min−1, respectively. The joint fabricated at 3250 rpm and 100 mm min−1 yielded a highest tensile load of 586 N. Microstructural analysis of the stir zone revealed an interlock phenomenon, the transportation of AA 7075 in polycarbonate, and the absence of ceramic-type (carbide, hydride or oxide) compounds. Microhardness (HV) measurement on the weld zone showed an uneven distribution due to the complicated microstructure of the welded joint. The maximum temperatures of 164°C and 66°C were obtained at 3250 rpm and 100 mm min−1 at a distance of 5 mm away from the welding centerline in the AA 7075 and PC side, respectively.

Modified smoothed particle hydrodynamics (MSPH) for the analysis of centrifugally assisted TiC-Fe-Al2O3 combustion synthesis

A modified smoothed particle hydrodynamic (MSPH) computational technique was utilized to simulate molten particle motion and infiltration speed on multi-scale analysis levels. The radial velocity and velocity gradient of molten alumina, iron infiltration in the TiC product and solidification rate, were predicted during centrifugal self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) simulation, which assisted the coating process by MSPH. The effects of particle size and temperature on infiltration and solidification of iron and alumina were mainly investigated. The obtained results were validated with experimental microstructure evidence. The simulation model successfully describes the magnitude of iron and alumina diffusion in a centrifugal thermite SHS and Ti + C hybrid reaction under centrifugal acceleration.

An Inverse Finite Element Method for Determining the Tissue Compressibility of Human Left Ventricular Wall during the Cardiac Cycle

The determination of the myocardium’s tissue properties is important in constructing functional finite element (FE) models of the human heart. To obtain accurate properties especially for functional modeling of a heart, tissue properties have to be determined in vivo. At present, there are only few in vivo methods that can be applied to characterize the internal myocardium tissue mechanics. This work introduced and evaluated an FE inverse method to determine the myocardial tissue compressibility. Specifically, it combined an inverse FE method with the experimentally-measured left ventricular (LV) internal cavity pressure and volume versus time curves. Results indicated that the FE inverse method showed good correlation between LV repolarization and the variations in the myocardium tissue bulk modulus K (K = 1/compressibility), as well as provided an ability to describe in vivo human myocardium material behavior. The myocardium bulk modulus can be effectively used as a diagnostic tool of the heart ejection fraction. The model developed is proved to be robust and efficient. It offers a new perspective and means to the study of living-myocardium tissue properties, as it shows the variation of the bulk modulus throughout the cardiac cycle.