The 10 most-cited articles in Applied Mechanics and Materials, 2024

An extensive examination of the effect of dielectric properties of the Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) operation machining variables is being done in the present study. Irrespective of the material's hardness, an EDM is an unconventional thermo-erosion machining procedure. It gave the workpiece a better and more detailed surface topography. Dielectric is an essential EDM component that typically affects the operation's high material removal rate and surface integrity. The dielectric fluid acts as a medium that modulates electrical sparks and traps energy due to the operation. It cleans up the trash and cools the workpiece. Whenever powders like Ti, Si, graphite, Cu, Al2O3, and others are added to the dielectric fluid, the fluid's conductivity increases the micro-hardness of the substance. For executing studies in EDM, choosing a proper dielectric from the number of fluids now offered is crucial. Adopting different additives in the dielectric fluid impacts the optimization of machining parameters and related characteristics are addressed in this study in light of existing…

The use of 3D printing (additive manufacturing) with metal has grown significantly in demand recently, greatly reducing the time and expense required to produce complex interconnected metal components. This method minimizes material wastage, facilitates material recycling, and eliminates the need for support materials. Among the various Metal Additive Manufacturing techniques, Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) processes stands out as the most prevalent for manufacturing parts. Within the realm of PBF, electron beam melting technique, selective laser sintering technique, and selective laser melting technique are the primary methods employed. Selective laser melting and selective laser sintering operate without the need for any special conditions, unlike EBM, which necessitates a vacuum environment. Regarding the choice of materials, laser melting/sintering processes are suitable for almost all types of metals except those which surpasses beam melting capabilities. While electron beam melting is constrained to a few materials such as titanium alloys, cobalt and chromium alloys, and nickel…

The increasing global demand for denim jeans necessitates sustainable practices in both production and disposal. This study investigates the mechanical properties of recycled cotton denim fabric, focusing on tensile strength, tear strength, and fabric density (GSM), in accordance with international testing standards. Results show a decrease in tensile strength but an increase in tear strength for recycled cotton denim. Specifically, there is a strong positive correlation between the tearing strength of the weft yarns in waste and recycled denim (r = 0.797, p < 0.001). Additionally, the recycled fabric has a higher GSM, indicating improved material density. These findings suggest that recycled cotton denim could be used in various durable products, such as handbags and shoes, promoting sustainability within the textile industry. Limitations include the reduced fiber length after recycling, which necessitated blending with raw cotton to achieve optimal quality. Despite equipment limitations, this research provides valuable insights into the potential of recycling cotton denim. Future…

Sarawak located in Borneo is endowed with the vast availability of peat water sources, particularly for the state southern region. Several investigations have shown that electrocoagulation treatment with aluminium electrodes is feasible to treat peat water in which the quality is comparable to the National Water Quality Standard (NWQS). Even though electrocoagulation treatment is feasible to treat peat water, the characteristics of peat water electrocoagulation flocs have not been reported. As such, this study aims to investigate the characteristics of the electrocoagulation flocs from peat water derived from the Sarawak southern region by using batch electrocoagulation treatment. The objectives of this study are to conduct an experimental study analysis of and identify the minerals on the electrocoagulation flocs along with operating energy cost analysis of peat water batch electrocoagulation treatment. Consequently, this study has found that reaction time and current density affect the production of flocs in which the amount of flocs increases with the increasing reaction time and…

This study investigated the effect of rock-water interaction on microstructural properties of various weathering grade sandstone. Sandstone samples were acquired from the Sor-Range coal mine area, Pakistan, and were investigated using a tabletop scanning electron microscope (SEM). The characteristics of microstructures from micrographs were obtained using ImageJ software. According to the findings an increase in wet and dry cycles significantly affects the microstructures (pore spaces and microcracks). The porosity and microcracks density of sandstone increases with the number of wet and dry cycles. Furthermore, the length of microcracks increases as the weathering grade increases. As variation in rock macroscopic mechanical characteristics is directly associated with the deterioration of microstructures. Therefore, analyzing the effect of water-rock interaction in various weathering grades of rock can offer a more accurate reference index for assessing the stability of geotechnical structures.

This article presents a comprehensive study on the damping of vibrations in a motor-pump assembly using viscoelastic and constrained layer damping treatments. The assembly's structural model, designed using SolidWorks software, is subjected to modal and harmonic analyses in ANSYS. The primary goal is to mitigate vibration amplitudes originating from the motor and pump to enhance the assembly's operational performance. Three damping treatments are investigated: Free Layer Damping (FLD), Sandwich Constrained Layer Damping (CLD), and a novel Multilayer CLD approach. The viscoelastic material is modeled using the Prony series method, and its properties are incorporated into the finite element analysis Results demonstrate that the application of damping treatments significantly reduces vibration amplitudes compared to the untreated structure. Among the treatments, the Multilayer CLD approach exhibits the highest damping efficiency, reducing the maximum amplitude by approximately 52% compared to the base structure. The study showcases the advantages of utilizing viscoelastic and…

The tremendous exhaustion of resources, a surprising price increase of petroleum fuel and worldwide ecological issues implement to find renewable fuel for compression ignition engine. Non-edible vegetable oils have proven consensus to opt as a replacement for diesel fuel due to comparable properties and less-pollutant characteristics. Using Unmixed Untreated Non-edible Vegetable Oil (UUNVO) in the CI engine matches the needs of a sustainable future and restricts the intensifying cost involved in biodiesel production. This paper aims to review the influence of various UUNVO (Karanja, Jatropha, Neem, Linseed, Mahua and Rubber Seed etc.) on the important performance parameters and emission level of diesel engine. UUNVO can be fuelled to the unmodified CI engine. However, the viscosity of UUNVO is reasonably higher compare to diesel fuel at room temperature, which deteriorates the engine performance and exhaust emission. Minor changes in the injection line for preheating the UUNVO and operating parameters are the way to improve it. It can clearly understand here that preheated UUNVOs…

Robot grasping detection methods are categorized into two-dimension (2D) and three-dimension (3D) approaches. In 2D grasp detection, gripper pose prediction occurs directly on RedGreenBlue (RGB) images, limiting grasp direction. Conversely, 3D grasp detection predicts gripper pose using 3D point clouds, allowing greater grasp flexibility. However, the data volume of 3D point clouds hampers real-time detection. To address this, this paper proposes a novel grasping detection algorithm that combines 2D images and 3D point clouds. Initially, a Single Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) network generates 2D prediction boxes on RGB images. Through enhancements to the prior box scaling, the accuracy of bounding the target object is improved. Subsequently, 2D boxes are transformed into 3D frustums, and extraneous data points are removed. By utilizing Random Sampling Consistent Segmentation (RANSAC) and Euclidean Clustering Segmentation Algorithm (ECSA), the target point clouds are isolated, and subsequently, the spatial pose of the target is represented using an Oriented Bounding Box (OBB).…

Energy harvesting monitoring systems have become more important as the Internet of Things (IoT) have grown. An intelligent system to monitor rainwater harvesting at UNITEN COE BN is being designed and developed in this study. Rainwater harvesting operations will be improved by developing an intelligent system. Monitoring techniques are studied, and sensors are designed for simulation. Smart rainwater harvesting systems are designed and implemented in this study, contributing to the field of smart monitoring systems. Rainwater collection, storage and usage are monitored and analyzed with smart sensors and data acquisition systems. Water turbine speed, voltage, and rainfall intensity are monitored by sensors in the developed system. Data from sensors is processed in Python GUIs. Visual displays allow users to monitor the rainwater harvesting system remotely. Durability and infrastructure compatibility are considered when selecting materials. It is found that smart rainwater harvesting system performance and reliability can be improved through simulation testing and validation. The…

The battery remains the primary choice of energy and power storage in electric vehicles. To optimize battery performance, manufacturers have developed various technologies, including the battery thermal management system (BTMS). In this study, an experimental investigation was conducted to determine the cooling performance and characteristics of a liquid cold plate cooling system for 18650 lithium-ion battery. The testing involved an 18650 SONY 2100 mAh lithium-ion battery and a 400 W DC Load Tester. Testing was carried out by discharging the battery module and taking data on battery temperature and working fluid temperature to get the heat transfer coefficient. The discharge current varied at 1.25 C, 1.5 C, 1.75 C, and 2 C, while the flow rate was set at 0.2 LPM, 0.5 LPM, and 0.8 LPM. The results indicate that the cooling rate increases as the flow rate rises. The battery temperature rises quicker near the negative pole than at the further location. Furthermore, the pressure drop on the liquid cold plate increases as the flow rate rises, while the highest heat transfer coefficient…