Electronic devices are sensitive to electromagnetic (EM) emissions, and require electromagnetic shielding protection to ensure good operation, and prevent noise, malfunctioning, or even burning. To ensure protection, it is important to develop suitable material and design solutions for electronic enclosures. Most common enclosures are made with metal alloys using traditional manufacturing methods. However, using thermoplastic composites combined with additive manufacturing (AM) technologies emerges as an alternative that enables the fabrication of complex parts that are lightweight, consolidated, and oxidation- and corrosion-resistant. In this research, an AM technique based on material extrusion was used to print 2 mm-thick specimens with a multi-material made of micro-carbon fiber (CF)-filled polyamide that was reinforced at specific layers using continuous carbon fibers stacked with a 90° rotation to each other. The specimens’ electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE) was evaluated in the frequency band of 0.03–3 GHz using the coaxial transmission line method. Depending on the number of CF layers, the EM shielding obtained can be up to 70 dB, with a specific shielding up to 60 dB.cm³/g, predominantly by the absorption mechanism, being 22 times higher than without the CF layers. These findings promote this innovative approach to lightweight customizable solutions for EM shielding applications.

In polymer selective laser sintering (SLS), powder acts as a support material during additive manufacturing, generating significant amounts of un-sintered powder exposed to prolonged thermal cycles. Although partial reuse with virgin powder is common practice, material degradation eventually renders the powder unsuitable for further SLS processing. This study investigates a sustainable approach for valorising SLS waste powder through its conversion into filament feedstock for fused filament fabrication (FFF). Polyamide 12 filaments containing 0, 2, 3, and 4 wt.% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were produced by twin-screw extrusion to tailor the electrical conductivity of the polymer matrix. The filaments were processed by FFF to manufacture specimens for thermal, mechanical, and electrical characterization. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed the influence of reprocessing on the thermal behaviour of the reused material and resulting filaments, while thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated improved thermal stability with increasing MWCNT content. Tensile testing showed increased Young’s modulus (up to 9.4%), despite an initial drop, and tensile stress at break (up to 56.3%) with increasing nanofiller concentration. In addition, distinct electrostatic-discharge (ESD) protection ranges were achieved depending on the MWCNT loading. The results demonstrate the potential of reused SLS powder as a sustainable feedstock for functional AM materials suitable for ESD-sensitive applications.

In recent years, Additive Manufacturing (AM) has transformed the development of new products, enabling more efficient, sustainable, and creative solutions across multiple sectors. Accordingly, this research explores the integration of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) with advanced Computer-Aided (CAx) tools, specifically Generative Design (GD) and Topology Optimisation (TO), to rethink an everyday product. The developed concept, an SLM water tap, highlights the seamless synergy between design and product engineering. Reverse Engineering (RE) was applied to analyse the conventional internal mechanism, which was redesigned in accordance with Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles. This approach enabled the integration of the internal cartridge architecture into the tap body as a single metal component, reducing system complexity and part count. TO was applied to key components, achieving a 35% mass reduction without compromising the simulated structural performance of the system. GD was employed to generate optimised internal flow channels, resulting in a numerically simulated flow rate of 4.69 L/min. Integrating CAx tools enabled a customisable product with varied surface textures. This work contributes to the deconstruction of traditional manufacturing paradigms and advances the understanding of AM for functionally relevant product design.

The increasing use and production of electronic systems, equipped with multiple PCBs, leads to constant development in manufacturing technologies. A predominant

This paper presents the complete design and development of a dried whole blood cartridge designed for point-of-care (POC) clinical diagnostics. The system integrates a near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy sensor with a disposable multilayer paper cartridge capable of collecting and analyzing small, controlled volumes of capillary blood (20 μL). The work emphasizes a technical and iterative design approach that combines product design with both additive and subtractive prototyping, supported by experimental validation. The development process involved multiple design iterations focusing on fluid transport, capillary dynamics, usability, and optical integration. Several materials and manufacturing processes, such as CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining and Material Jetting (MJ), were explored to optimize channel geometry and flow behavior. Experimental results guided successive refinements, leading to a cartridge configuration that ensures efficient capillary action, minimal coagulation, and consistent optical alignment with the sensor’s analysis zone. The study underscores the importance of an integrated engineering approach that unites design methodology, material selection, and manufacturing processes to achieve a reliable and reproducible cartridge for point-of-care blood diagnostics. It demonstrates how iterative design, supported by experimenal testing, can effectively bridge the gap between experimental prototyping and practical implementation in medical device development.