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In recent times, Origami has received an increasing research interest because of its capability to produce foldable tessellations and structures. This paper describes a new modular tetrahedral representation called “Kinetogami”. We embed the cuts and joining patterns into the crease pattern and create folded hinges across basic structural units (BSU), typically not done in Origami. We demonstrate sets of explicit 2D fabrication lay-outs and construction rules in order to fold reconfigurable structures and mechanisms in 3D by using a single flat paper sheet. The structural and combinatorial characteristics of Kinetogamic derivatives are further explored in a hierarchical manner. Inspired by Kinetogami, we design a family of multi-limbed tetrahedral robotic form that reconfigures and adapts. The kinematic properties of individual limbs are investigated and multiple gaits involving flipping, squatting/rising, squirming and slithering are synthesized for a representative hexapod robot. Our newly developed folding design paradigm provides affordances for a novel generation of robotic motion actuation and transformable reconfiguration.Copyright © 2012 by ASME

Creating highly articulated miniature structures requires assembling a large number of small parts. This is a very challenging task and increases cost of mechanical assemblies. Insert molding presents the possibility of creating a highly articulated structure in a single molding step. This can be accomplished by placing multiple metallic bearings in the mold and injecting plastic on top of them. In theory, this idea can generate a multi degree of freedom structures in just one processing step without requiring any post molding assembly operations. However, the polymer material has a tendency to shrink on top of the metal bearings and hence jam the joints. Hence, until now insert molding has not been used to create articulated structures. This paper presents a theoretical model for estimating the extent of joint jamming that occurs due to the shrinkage of the polymer on top of the metal bearings. The level of joint jamming is seen as the effective torque needed to overcome the friction in the revolute joints formed by insert molding. We then use this model to select the optimum design parameters which can be used to fabricate functional, highly articulating assemblies while meeting manufacturing constraints. Our analysis shows that the strength of weld-lines formed during the in-mold assembly process play a significant role in determining the minimum joint dimensions necessary for fabricating functional revolute joints. We have used the models and methods described in this paper to successfully fabricate the structure for a minimally invasive medical robot prototype with potential applications in neurosurgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of building an articulated structure with multiple degrees of freedom using insert molding.

High-density citrus pulp is becoming increasingly popular in the beverage industry; however, its unique rheological behavior poses some challenges for its processing in heat exchangers, including high pressures resulting from its high viscosity and the difficulties producing an even mixture. The rheological behavior of 850 g/l citrus pulp has been studied at different temperatures between 20 °C and 80 °C and applied to computerized fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of flow in circular pipes and annular heat exchangers in order to determine flow characteristics and solutions for pulp mixing. Paper published with permission.

Joint loading is a recently developed mechanical modality, which potentially provides a therapeutic regimen to activate bone formation and prevent degradation of joint tissues. To our knowledge, however, few joint loading devices are available for clinical or point-of-care applications. Using a voice-coil actuator, we developed an electromechanical loading system appropriate for human studies and preclinical trials that should prove both safe and effective. Two specific tasks for this loading system were development of loading conditions (magnitude and frequency) suitable for humans, and provision of a convenient and portable joint loading apparatus. Desktop devices have been previously designed to evaluate the effects of various loading conditions using small and large animals. However, a portable knee loading device is more desirable from a usability point of view. In this paper, we present such a device that is designed to be portable, providing a compact, user-friendly loader. The portable device was employed to evaluate its capabilities using a human knee model. The portable device was characterized for force-pulse width modulation duty cycle and loading frequency properties. The results demonstrate that the device is capable of producing the necessary magnitude of forces at appropriate frequencies to promote the stimulation of bone growth and which can be used in clinical studies for further evaluations.

Southern Gardens Citrus and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), in a cooperative effort at the Clewiston citrus processing facility, reduced SO2 emissions by 80% and particulate matter emissions by 73%. This project also reduced costly diesel fuel use by 25%, increased citrus pulp feed mill operation efficiency, and saved the company more than $4 million a year. Paper published with permission.

The interest in renewable and cleaner fuels has stimulated ethanol production in the last decades. Some of the drivers for that ever increasing production were the Brazilian Alcohol Program, Kyoto Protocol and the replacement in USA of the octane booster MBTE (methyl-tert-buthyl ether) for ethanol. The world’s largest producers of ethanol are The United States of America and Brazil, where the main sources are corn and sugar cane, respectively. Production flow via pipeline is the safest and most cost effective way to connect the producers, usually spread across the country, to the distribution terminals. However, in USA there are evidences that ethanol may have caused stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in pipelines and also in storage tanks. Controversially, in Brazil ethanol has been transported and stored since the 1970’s without any indication of SCC. The aim of this work is to evaluate the susceptibility of the steel API 5L X70 [1] to SCC in different ethanol (corn and sugar cane) using slow strain rate testing (SSRT). These tests were carried out on notched specimens according to NACE TM 0111 [2]. The SSRT results carried out in corn ethanol have shown a considerable reduction of plastic elongation and a mixed fracture micromechanism of quasi-cleavage and intergranular facets clearly indicating a susceptibility of the API 5L X70 steel to SCC. The SSRT also demonstrated that the carbon steel tested here is completely immune to SCC in sugar cane ethanol.

This paper presents the effect of indium (In) content on the melting temperature, wettabililty, dross formation, and oxidation characteristics of the Sn-2Ag-3Bi-xIn alloy. The melting temperature of the Sn-2Ag-3Bi-xIn alloy (2 ≤ x ≤ 6) was lower than 473 K. The melting range between the solidus and liquidus temperatures was approximately 20 K, irrespective of the indium content. As the indium content increased, the wetting time increased slightly and the maximum wetting force remained to be mostly constant. The dross formation decreased to approximately 50% when adding 1In to Sn-2Ag-3Bi, and no dross formation was observed in the case of Sn-2Ag-3Bi-xIn alloy (x ≥ 1.5) at 523 K for 180 min. Upon approaching the inside of the oxidized solder of the Sn-2Ag-3Bi-1.5In alloy from the surface, the O and In contents decreased and the Sn content increased based on depth profiling analysis using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The mechanism for restraining dross (Sn oxidation) of Sn-2Ag-3Bi alloy with addition of indium may be due to surface segregation of indium. This is due to the lower formation energy of indium oxide than those of Sn oxidation.

A work on the design and construction of biodiesel batch reactor with improved settling capability for production of biodiesel from fresh palm oil (FPO) and fresh vegetable oil (FVO) is presented. A centrifuge separator, 41 litres capacity, operating at 1400rpm was incorporated into the integrated reactor. Biodiesel production was done using transesterification method. Two experiments were carried out under different reaction conditions such as time and temperature to determine biodiesel yield. The optimum biodiesel yield was achieved at a reaction time of 56 minutes and reaction temperature of 140°F and a lower yield was gotten at a temperature of 131°F and 50 minutes. A clear yellow color was obtained at a temperature of 140°F. The centrifuge achieved separation and settling within an average of 55 minutes. A characterization test carried out to determine the biodiesel density, specific density, flash point, pour point, and cloud point showed that the produced biodiesel agreed with the ASTMD 6751 standard for biodiesel test and have similar properties with conventional diesel which can therefore be used in diesel engines so as to reduce environmental pollution and encourage diversity in energy source.Copyright © 2014 by ASME

Cellulosic nanofibers have been electrospun with an antitumor agent Cisplatin. Cellulose acetate (CA) and Cisplatin were co-electrospun using a coaxial electrospinning system. For the outer sheath, a solution of 7.5wt% CA in Acetone and DMAc (2:1) was used. The inner core consisted of Cisplatin dissolved in DMF at a concentration of 5mg/ml. Drug-loaded nanofibers from Cellulose pulp (2wt%) dissolved in NMMO. H2O were also produced. The solutions were electrospun in a high voltage electric field of 25–30 kV. Characterization of neat and drug-loaded nanofibers was performed using Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS). The characterization studies have shown the formation of nanofibers having both sporadic beads with internal agglomeration and conjugation of Cisplatin on the nanofiber surfaces.Copyright © 2014 by ASME

Margarine as a raw material has a multiple uses in the production of bio-organic materials such as refined oil and butter. It passes through many industrial stages before beginning the process of refining and packaging it to the consumer. One of these important stages is the melting process, which wastes an immense amount of thermal power. The large rate of thermal power consumption occurs due to the huge reservoirs in which the margarine is stored (500 m3–1500 m3 Savola International Company-Suez Gulf region-Egypt). With drawing margarine from the reservoirs is a cost and time intensive process due to the solid state of margarine at environmental temperatures. Dry saturated steam is passed through the heat exchanger pipes inside the reservoir to melt the required amount of margarine. In some cases, this process can take up to 8 h in the summer and 12 h in the winter, which can be amplified by the loss of heat energy from the reservoir throughout the day, especially during the night periods. Moreover, steam boilers that use heavy fuel or natural gas can cause serious environmental damage as a result of emissions, such as the carbon oxide and nitrous oxide compounds. In contrast, solar energy is one of the cleanest and environmentally friendly renewable energies and should be invested as an alternative heat source for the melting process of margarine. As mentioned before, the melting of margarine is considered a heating process that consumes a huge amount of thermal energy. Therefore, solar thermal power can play a vital role in the process of melting margarine. Generally, temperature requirements of solar industrial heat applications range from 60 °C to 260 °C. Cylindrical PTC systems look very promising for delivering industrial heating process applications in the range of 95 °C–350 °C delivery temperature [1]. For solar thermal applications, the operating design conditions of solar collectors should be well above the desired operating conditions of the application to ensure stability of the operation. Therefore, flat plate collectors and evacuated tube collectors are eliminated from this study due to the previous reason and its lower efficiencies compared against the PTC [2]. This is why medium to medium–high temperature solar collectors are used [3,4]. Most of the production processes of the food industry such as milk products, vegetable, meat, fruits, and beer are run at temperatures below or near 100–130 °C. In addition, many cleaning processes such as pasteurizing, sterilizing, drying, hydrolyzing, distillation, washing, polymerization, and cooking processes are conducted under thermal applications [5,6]. Thus, switching to a renewable energy source, such as solar energy, can result in cost savings as well as decrease the negative impacts the production process has on the environment. The production process of margarine requires a large amount of heat in which solar thermal power is a viable and more cost effective source of energy. The problem originally emerged when Savola's company officials (Savola International Company in Margarine industrial Suez Gulf region-Egypt) decided to optimize the time, energy, and cost of the production process. They summarized their problems into the following points: The process of margarine melts takes more than 12 h to obtain 100–200 m3 of melted margarine per day. Which costs the equivalent amount of 476,120 m3 per day of natural gas (100,000 $/month). Reduction of CO2, NO2, and CO emissions is a must according to environmental laws. After reviewing the configuration of their heating process, using solar thermal power as a clean energy alternative seemed to be the most viable solution. Egypt has a great potential for solar energy. It is calculated that an amount of 6–7 kW h/m2/day of global radiation is in the Suez Gulf region-Egypt [8]. Therefore, it is very promising to utilize this vast amount of untapped solar energy in this industrial heating process. The aim of this research is to present a feasibility study, assessing the impact of using solar thermal power as an alternative source of energy in the margarine melting process. In this study, solar PTC is used instead of a conventional steam boiler. Water–steam and/or Therminol-VP1 [7] HTO are utilized through the PTC representing two different configurations. The data results of the conventional configuration (config1) are compared with the PTC–water steam configuration (config2) and PTC–Therminol configuration (config3) according to the hourly cost parameter ($/h). The study plan is organized as follows: The process configurations for the proposed systems are performed and the design limits are investigated. The mathematical model that represents the proposed systems is constructed. Three cases are compared (solar direct vapor generation (two configurations) was conventional configuration). Practical and analytical solutions for the process problems are studied and executed. solar desalination system (SDS) software package (a part of renewable energy desalination system (REDS) that were developed by the authors) was used to model all the system units [8–11]. 2. Margarine Melting Heating Process 2.1. The Process Problems. The problem began when Savola's-Egypt officials decided to evaluate the productive performance of their company. In their current configuration, a steam boiler running on fuels is used in the heating process. The company was faced with several problems identified as below. Wasted time, especially in the winter it requires melting about 100–300 m3 within approximately 12 h. This requires a significant amount of time before the canning process can begin. In addition, the steam boiler has to be operated during night hours to collect the melted margarine early in the morning before the canning process. It is noted that the fuel consumption is also very high, especially in the case of heavy fuel operations. As the average daily consumption reached 1 m3 or more, which is considered to be a high rate of consumption. The exhaust emissions resulting from the combustion inside the steam boiler today are unacceptable in the light of international regulations which intend to reduce global carbon emissions. Because of the temperature difference during the night especially in winter a large amount of thermal power gets wasted. This increases the operation time and the rate of fuel consumption. Thus, Savola's Egyptian officials contacted the authors to investigate and propose solutions to the existing inefficiencies, while at the same time decreasing the negative impact on the environment.

A modern paper machine is equipped with various finishing units e.g. calenders and coating units in order to produce better optical and printing properties. To accomplish these required properties paper is manipulated between two parallel mounted rolls. The contact area of these rolls is called a nip. The rolls are pressed together using hydraulic loading mechanism in order to achieve required pressure to paper web between the rolls. One of the most important nip unit driving parameter is linear load i.e. force per length. To compensate deflections, which are caused by line load and gravity, the rolls are crowned. In cases, where the total nip force surpass the gravity force of the roll the zero load condition exists. In the other words the roll floats freely and bearing clearances can place themselves arbitrary. To prevent misalignment due to bearing clearances and to achieve more accurate line load control a new closing procedure has been developed. The actual line load level is force-controlled while the approach maneuver of the roll is controlled using positioning sensors. Tampere University of Technology (TUT) has built up an experimental set-up to study both vibration phenomena and behavior of polymer roll cover material. This paper presents the equations and experimental results of a new nip closing procedure.

Computational modeling is very useful in biomechanics to simulate normal and pathologic joint function. It is also useful to determine the efficacies of various surgical procedures performed to treat joint pathologies and simulate their outcomes. Models can be used to estimate in situ measures such as contact pressure distributions that are difficult to acquire through experiments noninvasively. Currently, computational modeling is the only technique available to noninvasively evaluate in vivo joint contact mechanics [1]. However, most models make use of input parameters derived from various general sources such as literature, standards, or experiments and are, therefore, limited for patient-specific applications [2]. Joint injuries, whether ligaments or articular surface, are a significant problem and there is still a need for tools to effectively evaluate joint injuries and associated sequelae [3]. The ability to monitor the initiation and progression of joint instability after injury may aid in determining prognosis, leading to better treatment algorithms. In order to refine or develop treatments that are targeted toward individuals, it is important to focus on subject-specific models. Several modeling techniques exist to evaluate in vivo joint mechanics. The common techniques include image-based FEM [4–13], rigid body spring modeling/discrete element analysis (RBSM) [14–16], or SCM [17–19]. The models are either displacement driven or force driven. Generally, model geometries are acquired from modalities such as computed tomography (CT) [4–8,14,15,19] or MRI [9–11,17,18]. Kinematics are determined through external (surface markers) or internal (biplanar radiography) measures, while tendon forces are estimated from corresponding musculature electromyography (EMG) and cross-sectional area, and ground reaction forces are measured using force platforms [11,20]. These loads and displacement boundary conditions are input into the model to infer joint kinetics/kinematics and resulting surface and/or volumetric stresses and strains. FEM is the most common and accurate method to determine stresses [11,20,21]. However, depending on the complexity of the problem, the process of developing the mesh can be laborious and obtaining a converged solution can be computationally intensive [22], which limits its clinical applicability. Depending on the type of problem (for instance, deformable versus rigid), more simplified analyses can be performed based on relevant assumptions to determine appropriate solutions. This is the basis of RBSM and SCM techniques. Using these methods, joint mechanics can be evaluated in a computationally efficient manner compared to FEM [23], which makes them relevant for clinical applications. The underlying question is whether these methods are competent to provide data that are sufficiently accurate for the intended application. The ability to accurately determine joint mechanics has wide clinical implications, especially in complex joints such as the wrist. It may be possible to sufficiently evaluate changes in joint mechanics as a result of injury or surgical intervention from surface contact mechanics data alone. This can be achieved through the SCM technique, without the need for a complex volumetric analysis [24]. However, the SCM technique has not been extensively used for orthopedic applications. Computational modeling has been extensively applied to the lower extremity to evaluate in vivo joint mechanics [4–11,18]. In the wrist, studies have evaluated in vivo joint mechanics during functional activities [12,14,16,17] and have also simulated the effects of some carpal fractures and limited fusions [13,15,19]. Scapholunate (SL) ligament injury is a commonly occurring wrist ligament injury that can lead to SL joint instability and progressive degenerative changes [25–28]. Prior modeling work on the in vivo effects of SL ligament injury or surgical repair appears to be limited [29,30]. Hence, we investigated differences in radiocarpal in vivo joint mechanics obtained from SCM for normal wrists, after SL ligament injury, and after surgical repair to results from the FEM “gold standard.” We did not intend to make comparisons between the normal, injured, and postoperative states. Our goal was to show that contact outcomes obtained from SCM would be comparable to those obtained from a similar FEM analysis regardless of wrist state and to demonstrate the feasibility and applicability of the SCM technique.

One's ability to exert controlled forces on the environment, such as when manipulating fragile objects, is very important in everyday life. This suggests that force regulation is a necessary component of motor control. In robotics, an effective way to implement force control is by imposing a low contact impedance with critical damping, and using admittance control to regulate force output [1,2]. Human limbs can be modeled as second order mechanical systems, under the assumption that tendons are much stiffer than muscle fibers. The mechanical properties of muscle fibers alone render the implementation of the aforementioned direct force control strategy as not efficient. Several studies have demonstrated that the exertion of force onto the environment results in an increase in muscle stiffness [3–5] and a reduction of muscle damping to under critical values [6,7]. Modeling tendons and contractile elements independently requires higher than second order muscle-tendon models [8]. The presence of a tendon elastic element favors an oscillatory response to external disturbances that normally needs to be eliminated [9]. We demonstrated that a higher order model always exhibits an oscillatory free response and cannot be critically dampened for mechanical parameters included within the normal physiological range. This requires the force controller implemented by the central nervous system (CNS) to employ active feedback and feed-forward regulation. We propose that oscillations, whether part of an external disturbance or of the system's response, can be actively compensated for by the CNS with a position control approach, as long as a predictive model of the perturbation, and an internal model of the system's biomechanics are available. This model of control is in agreement with findings previously published by our group that showed how the implementation of an internal feed-forward model trajectory can be part of a force-regulation strategy [10].

This study presents a methodology to determine thumb and index finger kinematics while utilizing a minimal set of markers. The motion capture of skin-surface markers presents inherent challenges for the accurate and comprehensive measurement of digit kinematics. As such, it is desirable to utilize robust methods for assessing digit kinematics with fewer markers. The approach presented in this study involved coordinate system alignment, locating joint centers of rotation, and a solution model to estimate three-dimensional (3-D) digit kinematics. The solution model for each digit was based on assumptions of rigid-body interactions, specific degrees of freedom (DOFs) at each located joint, and the aligned coordinate system definitions. Techniques of inverse kinematics and optimization were applied to calculate the 3-D position and orientation of digit segments during pinching between the thumb and index finger. The 3-D joint center locations were reliably fitted with mean coefficients of variation below 5%. A parameterized form of the solution model yielded feasible solutions that met specified tolerance and convergence criteria for over 85% of the test points. The solution results were intuitive to the pinching function. The thumb was measured to be rotated about the CMC joint to bring it into opposition to the index finger and larger rotational excursions (>10 deg) were observed in flexion/extension compared to abduction/adduction and axial rotation for all joints. While the solution model produced results similar to those computed from a full marker set, the model facilitated the usage of fewer markers, which inherently lessened the effects of passive motion error and reduced the post-experimental effort required for marker processing.

In this work, a semiactive electromagnetic vibration absorber has been developed based on a proposed electromagnetic stiffness adjustable spring model, which presents a new solution for adjusting stiffness in the field of vibration absorber devices. Simulation study on the electromagnetic spring has been performed to determine the structural parameter of the semiactive vibration absorber. An experimental rig is also built up to investigate its practical vibration control effectiveness. Firstly, the finite element model of the test bench is used to analyze its vibration characteristics. Then, the vibration reduction effect is predicted through the simulation analysis, from which the optimal control positions are found. Finally, the experimental studies are also conducted, and the results show that this semiactive electromagnetic vibration absorber has a frequency adjustment range from 21 Hz to 25 Hz, in which considerable vibration reduction from 5 dB to 10 dB can be achieved.

Muscle-driven simulations of human and animal motion are widely used to complement physical experiments for studying movement dynamics. Musculotendon models are an essential component of muscle-driven simulations, yet neither the computational speed nor the biological accuracy of the simulated forces has been adequately evaluated. Here we compare the speed and accuracy of three musculotendon models: two with an elastic tendon (an equilibrium model and a damped equilibrium model) and one with a rigid tendon. Our simulation benchmarks demonstrate that the equilibrium and damped equilibrium models produce similar force profiles but have different computational speeds. At low activation, the damped equilibrium model is 29 times faster than the equilibrium model when using an explicit integrator and 3 times faster when using an implicit integrator; at high activation, the two models have similar simulation speeds. In the special case of simulating a muscle with a short tendon, the rigid-tendon model produces forces that match those generated by the elastic-tendon models, but simulates 2–54 times faster when an explicit integrator is used and 6–31 times faster when an implicit integrator is used. The equilibrium, damped equilibrium, and rigid-tendon models reproduce forces generated by maximally-activated biological muscle with mean absolute errors less than 8.9%, 8.9%, and 20.9% of the maximum isometric muscle force, respectively. When compared to forces generated by submaximally-activated biological muscle, the forces produced by the equilibrium, damped equilibrium, and rigid-tendon models have mean absolute errors less than 16.2%, 16.4%, and 18.5%, respectively. To encourage further development of musculotendon models, we provide implementations of each of these models in OpenSim version 3.1 and benchmark data online, enabling others to reproduce our results and test their models of musculotendon dynamics.

The rheological behavior of concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) has been shown to be shear-thinning in several recent studies. Concentric cylinder viscometers have been used to obtain the rheological data in these studies. The effect of temperature, soluble solids, and pulp content has been described quantitatively. To estimate the pumping power requirements of FCOJ, the mechanical energy balance equation is used together with the necessary estimates of pressure drop due to friction in pipes and fittings estimated from empirical equations. Empirical equations are available to calculate power consumption during agitation of concentrated orange juice in terms of the dimensionless groups: power and agitator Reynolds numbers for several types of agitators. Paper published with permission.

The use of compliance chambers in mock circulatory loop construction is the predominant means of simulating arterial compliance. Utilizing mock circulatory loops as bench test methods for cardiac assist technologies necessitates that they must be capable of reproducing the circulatory conditions that would exist physiologically. Of particular interest is the ability to determine instantaneous compliance of the system, and the ability to change the compliance in real-time. This capability enables continuous battery testing of conditions without stopping the flow to change the compliance chamber settings, and the simulation of dynamic changes in arterial compliance. The method tested involves the use of a compliance chamber utilizing a circular natural latex rubber membrane separating the fluid and air portions of the device. Change in system compliance is affected by the airspace pressure, which creates more reaction force at the membrane to the fluid pressure. A pressure sensor in the fluid portion of the chamber and a displacement sensor monitoring membrane center deflection allow for real-time inputs to the control algorithm. A predefined numerical model correlates the displacement sensor data to the volume displacement of the membrane. The control algorithm involves a tuned π loop maintaining the volume distention of the membrane via regulation of the air space pressure. The proportional integral (PI) controller tuning was achieved by creating a computational model of the compliance chamber using Simulink™ Simscape® toolboxes. These toolboxes were used to construct a model of the hydraulic, mechanical, and pneumatic elements in the physical design. Parameter Estimation™ tools and Design Optimization™ methods were employed to determine unknown physical parameters in the system, and tune the process controller used to maintain the compliance setting. It was found that the resulting control architecture was capable of maintaining compliance along a pressure-volume curve and allowed for changes to the compliance set point curve without stopping the pulsatile flow.

Lamellar atomically-thin sheets such as graphene (and its bulk equivalent graphite) and molybdenum disulfide have emerged as excellent solid lubricants at the macro scale and show great promise as protective coatings for nanoscopic applications. In this study, the failure mechanisms of graphene under sliding are examined using atomistic simulations. An atomic tip is slid over a graphene membrane that is adhered to a semi-infinite substrate. The impact of sliding velocity and substrate rigidity on the wear and frictional behavior of graphene is studied. In addition, the interplay of adhesive and abrasive wear on the graphene coating is also examined. The preliminary results indicate that graphene has excellent potential as a nanoscale due to its atomically-thin configuration and high load carrying capacity.Copyright © 2012 by ASME