Conformal Projection Printing Method to Increase the Accuracy of 3D Printed Nails.

Incorporating technologies such as 3D printers and the Internet of things (IoT) can improve the nail art industry by making it more efficient, and, most importantly, safer. It eliminates the need for physical shops such as nail salons. Nail art by 3D printing technology can achieve higher resolution and accuracy than before with conformal projection printing method (CPPM). The conventional method of painting nails manually leads to acute exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light that can contribute to minor health hazards. This research illustrates the benefits of using 3D printing for nail art. This study uses the IoT system, which can be stationed in a distinct location from the customer. The product on the nail is printed at least once and up to three times within 5 µm to achieve precise resolution through laser marking and CPPM, which can increase the accuracy by repeated projection to attain the required settling ratio. The correlation between the numbers of printed layers and different incident angles of the printing head on the conformal surface is discussed. The ratio of projected weight to the ideal weight for high-definition printing condition is illustrated, and comparison studies with conventional nail art techniques are conducted to validate the results.

3D Printing of Meat Following Supercritical Fluid Extraction.

With the spread of COVID-19, understanding the spread of food poisoning, managing food materials related to chronic diseases, food ingredients' reliability, and non-face-to-face or untact delivery methods are rapidly emerging. A new field of meat research has been introduced for hygienic and healthy recipes to maintain freshness and control personalized ingredients using supercritical processes and 3D printing technology. Supercritical fluid extraction processes (SCF) and untact 3D printing technology will replace traditional meat freshness assessment based on color change according to the degree of oxidation of myoglobin in meat. SCF processes safely and quickly remove residual blood from meat and control fat and cholesterol that may be harmful to the human body. SCF-processed, high-viscosity meats are printed remotely through repeated IoT system variable experiments in WEB-CLOUD between UTEP in Texas, USA, and Korea University in Seoul, Korea. The SCF process in this study confirmed a weight reduction of 8.5% to 22.5%, depending on the temperature, pressure, and SCF process time. Under conditions of a tip size of 1.0 × 10-3 m, a shear rate of 200/s, and a maximum pressing force of 170 N, a 1000 cm3 SCF-processed meat was successfully 3D printed at the other site by transmitting G-code through web.

3D-Printed Conductive Carbon-Infused Thermoplastic Polyurethane.

3D printable, flexible, and conductive composites are prepared by incorporating a thermoplastic elastomer and electrically conductive carbon fillers. The advantageous printability, workability, chemical resistance, electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility components allowed for an enabling of 3D-printed electronics, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, static elimination, and biomedical sensors. Carbon-infused thermoplastic polyurethane (C/TPU) composites have been demonstrated to possess right-strained sensing abilities and are the candidate in fields such as smart textiles and biomedical sensing. Flexible and conductive composites were prepared by a mechanical blending of biocompatible TPU and carbons. 3D structures that exhibit mechanical flexibility and electric conductivity were successfully printed. Three different types of C/TPU composites, carbon nanotube (CNT), carbon black (CCB), and graphite (G) were prepared with differentiating sizes and composition of filaments. The conductivity of TPU/CNT and TPU/CCB composite filaments increased rapidly when the loading amount of carbon fillers exceeded the filtration threshold of 8%-10% weight. Biocompatible G did not form a conductive pathway in the TPU; resistance to indentation deformation of the TPU matrix was maintained by weight by 40%. Adding a carbon material to the TPU improved the mechanical properties of the composites, and carbon fillers could improve electrical conductivity without losing biocompatibility. For the practical use of the manufactured filaments, optimal printing parameters were determined, and an FDM printing condition was adjusted. Through this process, a variety of soft 3D-printed C/TPU structures exhibiting flexible and robust features were built and tested to investigate the performance of the possible application of 3D-printed electronics and medical scaffolds.