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TECHNOLOGYSPOTLIGHT
Advances in technology across industry
New testing technique could speed up metal additive manufacturing in aerospace
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new technique could improve the efficiency of metal additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry and reduce waste by allowing components to be inspected during the build process. The technique, which uses laser ultrasound to detect defects, is being developed by Dr Ben Dutton from the Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry, UK. His work could encourage the use of additive manufacturing within mass manufacturing industries as it removes the need for a separate inspection process once components are built. It also responds to the need for new and improved testing techniques in view of the increased use of additive manufacturing in industries such as automotive and aerospace. Dutton, an expert in non-destructive testing, said: “Currently some additive manufacturing systems incorporate in-process monitoring but they use cameras to take snapshots of the layers as the item is being created. The problem with cameras is that each new layer of powder can conceal part of the defect. With NDT methods such as laser ultrasound, there is a certain amount of penetration so you can look below the top layer and detect sub-surface defects in a non-contact way.” The technique has shown potential for use with powder bed and directly deposited additive manufacturing processes, and with components of complex shape. Dutton is also playing a key role in the development of new ISO standards for inspecting additive manufactured components. Visit: www.the-mtc.org
Smartphone screen technology used to trick harmful bacteria
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onducting plastics found in smartphone screens can be used to trick the metabolism of pathogenic bacteria, report scientists at the Swedish Medical Nanoscience Centre at Karolinska Institutet. By adding or removing electrons from the plastic surface, bacteria may be tricked into growing more or less. The method may find widespread use in preventing bacterial infections in hospitals or improve effectiveness in wastewater management. When bacteria attach to a surface they grow quickly into a thick film known as a biofilm. These are especially dangerous in hospitals where they can cause life-threatening infec-
tions. Researchers have now aimed to address this problem by producing coatings for medical devices made from a cheap conducting plastic called PEDOT, which is what makes smartphone screens respond to touch. By applying a small voltage, the PEDOT surface was either flooded with electrons or left almost empty, which in turn affected the growth of Salmonella bacteria. “When bacteria land on a surface full of electrons they cannot replicate,” says principal investigator Agneta Richter-Dahlfors, Professor at Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Swedish Medical Nanoscience Centre.
On the other hand, if the bacteria encountered an empty PEDOT surface, the opposite happened, as they grew to a thick biofilm. “With the electrons being continually sucked out of the surface, bacteria could continually deposit their own electrons, giving them the energy they needed to grow quickly,” says Professor Richter-Dahlfors. This left the research team in a position where, at the flick of a switch, they could either abolish bacterial growth or let it continue more effectively. This has many implications for both health and industry. Visit: www.ki.se
A drone for last-centimetre delivery
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new drone developed at EPFL uses cuttingedge technology to deliver parcels weighing up to 500g. The device will never get stuck in traffic, it’s programmed to avoid obstacles, and it can reach destinations on steep or uneven terrain. Its protective cage and foldable design mean that it can be carried around in a backpack and used in total safety. With a drone, things like letters, medicine, firstaid supplies and food can be delivered quickly, cheaply and autonomously without having to worry about traffic, blocked roads or a lack of roads. The drone is equipped with several innovations that make it particularly safe, autonomous and easy to transport. The unique idea here 20 Industry Europe
is that the drone becomes the package that wraps around the cargo before flight, just like a mail package. The foldable carbon-fibre cage protects the drone and the cargo in case of a collision or fall. What’s more, the recipient can catch the drone mid-flight without being injured by the propellers, which are located within the structure and have a safety system so that they stop when the cage is opened. The origami-inspired design means that the frame can be folded and unfolded in a single movement. It can be flattened in just a few seconds, reducing the drone’s volume by 92% so that it can easily be slipped inside a backpack Visit: www.epfl.ch
