A 3D-printed portable microindenter for mechanical characterization of soft materials
01 Aug 2016-pp 201-206
TL;DR: 3D-printed microindenter, although being custom-made and low-cost, maintains the accuracy and repeatability required for soft material testing.
Abstract: In this paper, we report a 3D-printed portable microindenter for measuring the mechanical properties of soft materials. The system is composed of three major components: (i) a Z-axis stage, (ii) a force-sensing indentation probe, and (iii) a data acquisition and control system. We construct most of the system parts (including the force sensing probe) by 3D printing, and perform mechanical design and analysis to guarantee the mechanical robustness of the system. The system is capable of performing high-precision, non-destructive material indentation testing with displacement and force sensing resolutions as low as 0.625 µm and 73 µN, respectively. The force-deformation data obtained during indentation are used to determine the mechanical characteristics of a soft material sample based on a Hertz's mechanical model. We also integrate several user-friendly features into the system, including a touch screen and customized software for convenient user-machine interactions. Using the microindenter, we perform elastic testing of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with three base/curing agent ratios (w/w), and achieve consistent results of the materials' Young's moduli in good agreement with the previous results reported in the literature. This proves that our 3D-printed microindenter, although being custom-made and low-cost, maintains the accuracy and repeatability required for soft material testing.
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TL;DR: The 3D-printed brace has the features of commercially available braces while significantly reducing the cost, making this clubfoot brace particularly appropriate for use in developing countries.
Abstract: ABSTRACT Introduction Open-source, self-replicating rapid prototypers (RepRaps) have radically reduced the costs of three-dimensional (3D) printing while expanding its access. Three-dimensional printing's model of distributed manufacturing can produce medical technologies at significantly reduced costs. We investigate this potential by evaluating the viability of an open-source 3D printable infant clubfoot brace. Materials and Methods Starting with a list of key features present in currently available clubfoot braces, a 3D-printed clubfoot brace was developed in free and open-source CAD software (FreeCAD) to enable future customization. Polylactic acid, a biodegradable and recyclable bioplastic, was selected among the various commercial 3D printable materials based on strength and cost. Results The results show that the open-source clubfoot brace matches or surpasses the physical features and mechanical degrees of freedom of all commercial- and nonprofit-developed brace designs while substantially reducing the costs of the braces to hospitals and families. Conclusions The 3D-printed brace has the features of commercially available braces while significantly reducing the cost, making this clubfoot brace particularly appropriate for use in developing countries. In addition, the results indicated that this model of distributed manufacturing of medical technology is technically and economically appropriate through much of the Global South.
12 citations
Posted Content•
TL;DR: A monolithic 3D printed flexure translation stage capable of sub-micron-scale motion over a range of $8 \times8\times4\,$mm is demonstrated, and high performance mechanisms based on printed flexures need not be limited to microscopy, and are anticipate their use in other devices both within the laboratory and beyond.
Abstract: A high-performance microscope consists not only of optics but also mechanics; a useful instrument must be able to precisely focus on the specimen, and to translate the sample to find or track features of interest. We demonstrate a monolithic 3D printed flexure translation stage, capable of sub-micron-scale motion over a range of $8\times8\times4\,$mm. An Arduino microcontroller can be used to automate the stage with inexpensive stepper motors. The resulting plastic composite structure is very stiff and exhibits remarkably low drift, moving less than $20\,\mu$m over the course of a week. This enables us to construct a low-cost microscope with excellent mechanical stability, perfect for timelapse measurements in situ in an incubator or fume hood. Utilizing the Raspberry Pi camera module means very little power or space is required, enabling experiments to be run in parallel. The low cost of this microscope lends itself to use in containment facilities where disposability is advantageous, and to educational work where a large number of microscopes must be obtained. High performance mechanisms based on printed flexures need not be limited to microscopy, and we anticipate their use in other devices both within the laboratory and beyond.
4 citations
01 Nov 2019
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of PDMS ratio on PDMS-based microfluidic with serpentine pattern integrated commercial SPEs to overcome the leakage problem when using in a continuous flow system was investigated.
Abstract: Electrochemical sensors and biosensors have been focused on the development of a microfluidic integrated on a screen-printed electrode (SPE) for use in medical diagnosis. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), an elastomer material, has been widely used for the fabrication of microfluidic devices. Regarding PDMS-based microfluidic integrated on SPE, there is a significant issue of leakage, especially for a continuous monitoring system. In this study, we aim to investigate the effect of PDMS ratio on PDMS-based microfluidic with serpentine pattern integrated commercial SPEs to overcome the leakage problem when using in a continuous flow system. The mechanical properties of different PDMS ratios, including 10:1, 10:0.8, 10:0.6, 10:4, and 10:0.2 were examined in terms of elastic modulus using an Instron universal testing machine. Additionally, leakage test was performed by continuous flow through microfluidic devices prepared in different PDMS ratios and integrated directly onto a commercial SPE. The results revealed that leaks occurred easily when using the microfluidic device fabricated with the standard PDMS mixing ratio at 10:1, whereas the more flexible PDMS microfluidic device at a ratio of 10:0.6 provides a suitable ratio with an excellent performance of leakage-free. This indicates that a stiff PDMS-based microfluidic device can cause leakage more easily than a flexible PDMS-based microfluidic device. Hence, the PDMS ratio of 10:0.6 exhibits a great promise in fabricating a microfluidic integrated on commercial SPE toward the development of microfluidic-based electrochemical sensors and biosensors for use in a continuous monitoring system.
1 citations
References
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01 Jan 1999
TL;DR: In this article, a microfabrication technique for realizing reconfigurable micro fluidics devices using polymethylsiloxane material (PDMS) has been reported, including the Young's modulus and the adhesion energy.
Abstract: We report on a microfabrication technique for realizing re-configurable micro fluidics devices using polymethylsiloxane material (PDMS). The mechanical characteristics of the material, including the Young's modulus and the adhesion energy have been determined experimentally. The magnitude of Young's modulus ranges from 8.7/spl times/10/sup 5/ Pa to 3.6/spl times/10/sup 5/ Pa. The adhesion energy is a function of the PDMS composition as well as chemical treatment. A method for efficiently developing flow interconnects has been demonstrated.
497 citations
"A 3D-printed portable microindenter..." refers result in this paper
...agreement with the previously reported data [8], [9]....
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Book•
02 Jun 2008
TL;DR: Pas mentioned in this paperACE LIGHT MICROSCOPY Optical Principles Instrumentation Specimen Preparation Imaging Modes Confocal Microscopy X-ray DIFFRACTION METHODs X-Ray Radiation Theoretical Background of Diffraction XRay Diffractometry Wide-Angle X-Rays Diffraction and Scattering TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICRON MICROSE COPY Instrumentation SPECIMEN Preparation Image Modes Selected-Area Diffraction (SAD) Images of Crystal Defects SCANNING ELECTRON COPy Instrumentation Contrast Formation Operational
Abstract: PREFACE LIGHT MICROSCOPY Optical Principles Instrumentation Specimen Preparation Imaging Modes Confocal Microscopy X-RAY DIFFRACTION METHODS X-Ray Radiation Theoretical Background of Diffraction X-Ray Diffractometry Wide-Angle X-Ray Diffraction and Scattering TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY Instrumentation Specimen Preparation Image Modes Selected-Area Diffraction (SAD) Images of Crystal Defects SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY Instrumentation Contrast Formation Operational Variables Specimen Preparation Electron Backscatter Diffraction Environmental SEM SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPY Instrumentation Scanning Tunneling Microscopy Atomic Force Microscopy Image Artifacts X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY FOR ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS Features of Characteristic X-Rays X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy in Electron Microscopes Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY FOR SURFACE ANALYSIS Basic Principles Instrumentation Characteristics of Electron Spectra Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROMETRY FOR SURFACE ANALYSIS Basic Principles Instrumentation Surface Structure Analysis SIMS Imaging SIMS Depth Profiling VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY FOR MOLECULAR ANALYSIS Theoretical Background Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Raman Microscopy Interpretation of Vibrational Spectra THERMAL ANALYSIS Common Characteristics Differential Thermal Analysis and Differential Scanning Calorimetry Thermogravimetry INDEX
321 citations
"A 3D-printed portable microindenter..." refers background in this paper
...developed for indentation-based material testing at both large and small scales [2]....
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TL;DR: A new open-source method for developing and manufacturing high-quality scientific equipment suitable for use in virtually any laboratory and on the order of 5% or less than one would expect to pay for a commercial syringe pump having similar performance.
Abstract: This article explores a new open-source method for developing and manufacturing high-quality scientific equipment suitable for use in virtually any laboratory. A syringe pump was designed using freely available open-source computer aided design (CAD) software and manufactured using an open-source RepRap 3-D printer and readily available parts. The design, bill of materials and assembly instructions are globally available to anyone wishing to use them. Details are provided covering the use of the CAD software and the RepRap 3-D printer. The use of an open-source Rasberry Pi computer as a wireless control device is also illustrated. Performance of the syringe pump was assessed and the methods used for assessment are detailed. The cost of the entire system, including the controller and web-based control interface, is on the order of 5% or less than one would expect to pay for a commercial syringe pump having similar performance. The design should suit the needs of a given research activity requiring a syringe pump including carefully controlled dosing of reagents, pharmaceuticals, and delivery of viscous 3-D printer media among other applications.
222 citations
"A 3D-printed portable microindenter..." refers background in this paper
...Successful examples of low-cost, 3D-printed instruments include microscopes [5], syringe pumps [6], and three-axis manipulators [3]....
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Book•
04 Oct 2013
TL;DR: The combination of open-source 3D printing and microcontrollers running on free software enables scientists, engineers, and lab personnel in every discipline to develop powerful research tools at unprecedented low costs.
Abstract: Open-Source Lab: How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Scientific Research Costs details the development of the free and open-source hardware revolution. The combination of open-source 3D printing and microcontrollers running on free software enables scientists, engineers, and lab personnel in every discipline to develop powerful research tools at unprecedented low costs. After reading Open-Source Lab, you will be able to: Lower equipment costs by making your own hardwareBuild open-source hardware for scientific researchActively participate in a community in which scientific results are more easily replicated and citedNumerous examples of technologies and the open-source user and developer communities that support themInstructions on how to take advantage of digital design sharingExplanations of Arduinos and RepRaps for scientific useA detailed guide to open-source hardware licenses and basic principles of intellectual property
202 citations
"A 3D-printed portable microindenter..." refers background in this paper
...To help lower the cost of laboratory tools, a popular manufacturing approach, three-dimensional (3D) printing, arises in the scientific fields for fabricating many popular laboratory instruments, which partially enables an attractive concept so-called ”open-source lab” [3]....
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...Successful examples of low-cost, 3D-printed instruments include microscopes [5], syringe pumps [6], and three-axis manipulators [3]....
[...]
Book•
01 Jan 1995
126 citations
"A 3D-printed portable microindenter..." refers methods in this paper
...Unlike traditional methods such as injection molding [4], 3D printing is working on the principle of adding thin layers of the selected material on top of each other to form components....
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