Concerning environmental safety and mitigating the risk of water pollution, the electroplating industry, historically reliant on the use of elevated concentrations of heavy metals to achieve high-quality products, faces a crucial challenge in monitoring wastewater enriched with these metals, notorious for their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. Chromium, in both oxidation states Cr (III) and Cr (VI), emerges as a prominently employed metal, yielding noteworthy outcomes throughout the galvanisation process. This research showcases the prototype of an automatic in situ sensor tailored to industry sustainability efforts to facilitate real-time monitoring and efficient water management. This custom sensor, characterized by sensitivity, reliability, and user-friendliness, utilizes UV-Vis colorimetric principle to detect Cr in both oxidation forms ranging from grams per litre (g/L) to parts per million (ppm). This is made possible by the unique vibrant colours induced by chromium ions, enabling the precise measurement of analyte concentrations. Thanks to 3D printing, this sensor system interacts with customized parts, designed and validated through simulation processes, for filtering out particulate that may interfere with the analysis. The outcome represents a synergistic blend of technology and environmental responsibility, aligning industrial processes with the goal of safeguarding water resources and ecosystems.

Nanocomposite laminates containing carbon fibers, epoxy, and multiwalled carbon nanotubes were fabricated using a vacuum bag process. Ecofriendly ionic liquid (5 wt%)-treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (pristine and nickel-coated) were added to the epoxy independently, in amounts ranging from 1 wt% to 3 wt%, in order to tailor the mechanical, electrical, and thermal performance of manufactured carbon fiber epoxy composite laminates. These nanocomposite laminates were later characterized through flexural testing, dynamic mechanical analysis, impedance spectroscopy, thermal conductivity tests, and FTIR spectroscopy to evaluate their suitability for battery pack applications. The findings showed that both types of multiwalled carbon nanotubes exhibited multifaceted effects on the properties of bulk hybrid carbon fiber epoxy nanocomposite laminates. For instance, the flexural strength of the composites containing 3.0 wt% of ionic liquid-treated pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes reached 802.8 MPa, the flexural modulus was 88.21 GPa, and the storage modulus was 18.2 GPa, while the loss modulus peaked at 1.76 GPa. The thermal conductivity of the composites ranged from 0.38869 W/(m · K) to 0.69772 W/(m · K), and the electrical resistance decreased significantly with the addition of MWCNTs, reaching a minimum of 29.89 Ω for CFRPIP-1.5 wt%. The structural performance of hybrid nanocomposites containing ionic liquid-treated pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes was higher than that of the hybrid nanocomposite of ionic liquid-treated Ni-coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes, although the latter was found to possess better functional performance.

Nowadays, Additive Manufacturing for Electronics (AME) is gaining ground in device fabrication for the numerous advantages of these types of manufacturing technologies, such as fast production processes, freeform design, and low-cost prototyping. In this scenario, the proposed research work is focused on evaluating an innovative strategy for a common issue in power electronics, which is related to the generation of hotspots. To face this problem, the 3D printing of ceramic substrates with different high surface areas was studied to improve thermal dissipation. Together with improved thermal management, the upper surface of the devices enabled the deposition of a desired conductive pattern and the bonding of bare die components for device fabrication. Finally, thermal exchange was monitored to verify the efficacy and efficiency of the devices’ dissipation capabilities. The proposed models exhibited a 70% temperature reduction upon transitioning from air to water. Furthermore, the operating temperature remained stable for 10 min, meeting the specific requirements of the intended application.

The focus of this study was the investigation of the quasi-simultaneous laser welding (QSW) technique of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in a T-joint configuration using a circular wobble laser path. The main aim was to find how laser parameters, such as scanning speed, number of scans, and laser power, influence key indicators of weld quality: penetration depth and weld strength. A range of scanning speeds (1–2 m/s) and scan repetitions (20–70) was explored, with the goal of keeping the total welding time around 1 s, a time compatible with industrial mass production. The results demonstrated a clear correlation between linear energy density and penetration depth. Deeper penetrations were achieved at higher energy levels. Weld strength was maximized with a lower number of scans (20) and higher powers (above 130 W). The configuration offering the best combination of weld strength (1137 N) and total welding time (0.8 s) was identified, demonstrating the suitability of QSW for mass production.

Additive Manufacturing for Electronics (AME) techniques are currently becoming more widespread as they allow for the rapid production of electronic devices with confined costs. In this context, AME represents a relatively novel fabrication technique when used for power electronics applications. The research presented in this paper is focused on the investigation of the feasibility of inkjet-based AME for the fabrication of structures and components for power electronics applications. Seven circuit models for a power module were developed and printed with a multimaterial 3D printer. The models were then analyzed to optimize their design in terms of dimensional accuracy. Furthermore, the electrical conductivity and the magnetic field of one of the devices were examined with numerical simulation tools to verify its effectiveness and efficiency when compared to factory-built power modules. The resulting devices could be considered for coupling and improving the functionality of a module built using non-AME technology, showing that custom-built electronic devices of this kind can be a valid upgrade to the current state of the art. Thus, AME-fabricated devices might be considered as potential enablers for next-generation wide-bandgap (WBG) devices.

Laser‐induced graphene (LIG) has emerged as a highly promising material for energy storage devices due to its excellent electrical conductivity, high specific surface area, and compatibility with flexible substrates. Despite these advantages, one of the main challenges in implementing LIG‐based electrodes is achieving a stable and efficient electrical connection with metallic current collectors without compromising the intrinsic properties of the material. In this study, we investigate a combination of physical approaches to establish a reliable and robust electrical bond between LIG and metal current collectors while avoiding chemical treatments, conductive adhesives, or binders. Electrode fabrication is performed using physical vapor deposition (PVD) and laser processing techniques, which provide precise control over both metallic layer deposition and LIG formation. These methods enable straightforward customization of electrode architectures for applications, including symmetric and hybrid energy storage devices. Furthermore, fast and selective laser treatments are adopted to enhance the mechanical integrity and long‐term stability of the electrode interfaces. Our results demonstrate a contact resistance as low as 1.3 Ω at the LIG‐gold interface without the use of binders or additional conductive agents. The proposed fabrication strategy improves electrical performance while simplifying the overall manufacturing process. By minimizing complex chemical procedures, it enables scalability.