Carbide cutting tools, which are inexpensive and widely used by machine shops, are alternatives for performing hard machining, yet limitations due to their low strength requires performance evaluation as well as appropriate selection of cutting parameters. In this study, a carbide tool with TiAlN coating with wiper geometry at the cutting edge is proposed for performing mild range of hard machining of martensitic stainless steel (48 HRC). The tool's performance was evaluated based on its tool life and the resulting surface finish when hard machining at various cutting speeds and feeds and at constant depth of cut without using cutting fluid (dry machining). Response surface methodology was used to quantify the effect of cutting speed and feed to the tool life and proposing the optimum cutting parameters. Further observation was made on the worn tool, the machined surface, and the generated chip to observe the process. Results showed that the wiper coated carbide tool are capable of performing particular hard machining.

Minimum quantity lubrication is a technique to have the advantages that cutting fluids bring yet keeping their use at minimum. For the cutting fluids, inedible vegetable oils are potential for minimum quantity lubrication machining. Castor oil was selected in this study as the cutting fluid for turning of hardened stainless steel (hardness of 47–48 HRC). The hard turning was with minimum quantity lubrication (50 mL/h flow rate and 5 bar air pressure) at various cutting speeds (100, 135, and 170 m/min) and feeds (0.16, 0.20, and 0.24 mm/rev). The machining responses were tool life, surface roughness, and cutting forces. Design of experiments was applied to quantify the effects of cutting parameters to the machining responses. Empirical models for tool life, surface roughness, and cutting forces were developed within the range of cutting parameters selected. All machining responses are significantly influenced by the cutting speed and feed. Tool life is inversely proportional to cutting speed and feed. Surface roughness is inversely proportional to cutting speed yet is proportional to feed. Cutting forces are more influenced by feed than by cutting speed. A combination of low cutting speed and feed was the optimum cutting parameters to achieve long tool life, low surface roughness, and low cutting forces.

Fabrication of three dimensional (3D) tissue engineering scaffolds, particularly for hard tissues remains a challenge. Electrospinning has been used to fabricate scaffolds made from polymeric materials which are suitable for hard tissues. The electrospun scaffolds also have structural arrangement that mimics the natural extracellular matrix. However, electrospinning has a limitation in terms of scaffold layer thickness that it can fabricate. Combining electrospinning with other processes is the way forward, and in this proposed technique, the basic shape of the scaffold is obtained by a fused deposition modelling (FDM) three dimensional (3D) printing machine using the partially hydrolysed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the filament material. The 3D printed PVA becomes a template to be placed inside a mould which is then filled with the fully hydrolysed PVA/maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) solution. After the content in the mould solidified, the mould is opened and the content is freeze dried and immersed in water to dissolve the template. The 3D structure made of PVA/maghemite is then layered by electrospun PVA/maghemite fibers, resulting in 3D tissue engineering scaffold made from PVA/maghemite. The morphology and mechanical properties (strength and stiffness) were analysed and in vitro tests by degradation test and cell penetration were also performed. It was revealed that internally, the 3D scaffold has milli- and microporous structures whilst externally; it has a nanoporous structure as a result of the electrospun layer. The 3D scaffold has a compressive strength of 78.7 ± 0.6 MPa and a Young’s modulus of 1.43 ± 0.82 GPa, which are within the expected range for hard tissue engineering scaffolds. Initial biocompatibility tests on cell penetration revealed that the scaffold can support growth of human fibroblast cells. Overall, the proposed processing technique which combines 3D printing process, thermal inversion phase separation (TIPS) method and electrospinning process has the potential for producing hard tissue engineering 3D scaffolds.

Valvular dysfunction as the prominent reason of heart failure may causes morbidity and mortality around the world. The inability of human body to regenerate the defected heart valves necessitates the development of the artificial prosthesis to be replaced. Besides, the lack of capacity to grow, repair or remodel of an artificial valves and biological difficulty such as infection or inflammation make the development of tissue engineering heart valve (TEHV) concept. This research presented the use of compound of poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and maghemite nanoparticle (γ-Fe₂O₃) as the potential biomaterials to develop three-dimensional (3D) aortic heart valve scaffold. Electrospinning was used for fabricating the 3D scaffold. The steepest ascent followed by the response surface methodology was used to optimize the electrospinning parameters involved in terms of elastic modulus. The structural and porosity properties of fabricated scaffold were characterized using FE-SEM and liquid displacement technique, respectively. The 3D scaffold was then seeded with aortic smooth muscle cells (AOSMCs) and biological behavior in terms of cell attachment and proliferation during 34 days of incubation was characterized using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and confocal laser microscopy. Furthermore, the mechanical properties in terms of elastic modulus and stiffness were investigated after cell seeding through macro-indentation test. The analysis indicated the formation of ultrafine quality of nanofibers with diameter distribution of 178 ± 45 nm and 90.72% porosity. In terms of cell proliferation, the results exhibited desirable proliferation (109.32 ± 3.22% compared to the control) of cells over the 3D scaffold in 34 days of incubation. The elastic modulus and stiffness index after cell seeding were founded to be 22.78 ± 2.12 MPa and 1490.9 ± 12 Nmm², respectively. Overall, the fabricated 3D scaffold exhibits desirable structural, biological and mechanical properties and has the potential to be used in vivo.