An automated inflatable repositioning device was created in this study for use in the developmentally supportive care of premature neonates. Inflatable air cells were used to achieve the safe positioning of these patients. The system is comprised of two pumps, four valves and four inflatable air cells that safely and slowly direct the air flow into the desired air cells by means of an Arduino Uno and a multi-directional control switch in order to obtain safe and proper positioning. Range of motion testing was conducted and it was discovered that this system is successful in achieving a sufficient range of motion in order to safely position the manikin. A pressure sensor was also connected to the system to measure the amount of pressure in the air cells over time during inflation. From this testing, it was found that the system is successful in inflating the air cells in a slow and controlled manner. Additionally, four NICU nurses from the Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children tested the device and a survey was conducted to obtain feedback about the performance of the system. Overall, the device created was found to be successful in achieving positions in four directions in a safe, slow and controlled manner by means of an easy to use system that has the potential to be integrated into current neonatal health care technology.

In this paper we describe an experimental method for investigating the autoclave co-cure of honeycomb core composite sandwich structures. The design and capabilities of a custom-built, lab-scale “ in-situ co-cure fixture” are presented, including procedures and representative results for three types of experiments. The first type of experiment involves measuring changes in gas pressure on either side of a prepreg laminate to determine the prepreg air permeability. The second type involves co-curing composite samples using regulated, constant pressures, to study material behaviors in controlled conditions. For the final type, “realistic” co-cure, samples are processed in conditions mimicking autoclave cure, where the gas pressure in the honeycomb core evolves naturally due to the competing effects of air evacuation and moisture desorption from the core cell walls. The in-situ co-cure fixture contains temperature and pressure sensors, and derives its name from a glass window that enables direct in-situ visual observation of the skin/core bond-line during processing, shedding light on physical phenomena that are not observable in a traditional manufacturing setting. The experiments presented here are a first step within a larger research effort, whose long-term goal is to develop a physics-based process model for autoclave co-cure.

This paper focuses on the in-mold monitoring of temperature and cavity pressure. The melt contact temperature and the cavity pressure along the flow path were directly measured using two pressure sensors and two temperature sensors fitted into the cavity of a spiral mold. Three melt temperatures and dies of different heights (1.0, 1.5 and 2 mm) were used to achieve a wide range of practically relevant shear rates. In order to analyze the extent to which the numerical simulation can predict the behavior of the molten polymer during the injection molding process, molding experiments were simulated using the Moldflow software and the simulation results were compared with the experimental data under the same injection molding conditions.