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Nowadays, the additive manufacturing process had significant attention due to its great advantages that are being used for developing products and producing prototypes. This technology overcomes the various drawbacks of existing techniques and it becomes the most efficient approach. In the industrial sector, this technology is most important for individual designing products and extended with different functions. The performance of additively manufactured parts, on the other hand, is largely influenced by their surface integrity and dimensional accuracy. The surface integrity is an important issue because the additively manufactured products are affected by staircase effects resulting from layer-by-layer manufacturing. The rapid prototyping contains multiple methods such as VAT Photopolymerization and Poor surface quality is caused by the staircase effect in all additive manufacturing processes so therefore, the various post-processing efforts and controlling different process parameters of additive manufacturing are necessary on the produced component for improving surface quality and reducing surface roughness. To focus on improving the finish of an additively manufactured part's surface, there are numerous methods presented. This research described the various existing approaches of surface finishing with various efficacies such as reduction of surface roughness value, mechanical strength, and dimensional accuracy. Current post-processing methods for improving the surface characteristics of additively manufactured parts are discussed, with a classification based on the processes' mechanisms.

A cost-effective stereolithography for medium-scale components is developed to fabricate 3D components with high build speed and resolution from photo-curable resin. The developed SLA utilizes a focused light beam of wavelength range (300 nm–700 nm) coming from the DLP projector and passes through the objective lens and finally imposed on the platform containing a layer of photo-curable resin. After focusing the light beam on the liquid resin layer, the photo-polymerization reaction occurs and the liquid resin becomes solid. Thus, the 3D object is fabricated layer by layer curing of liquid resin. The photopolymer used in this experimentation is polyethylene glycol di-acrylate and Irgacure 784 as photo-initiator. The Creo 3.0 software is used for modelling of 3D objects. A special MATLAB code is developed for slicing of the 3D model and displaying the sliced image one by one through DLP projector. The Arduino microcontroller with stepper motor and ball screw is used to control the motion of Z-stage platform. The Creation workshop software is also used to control motion of the Z-stage and period to display the sliced images through DLP projector. The medium-scale 3D objects with rectangular, square, and circular cross-sections are obtained by curing the aforementioned photo-curable resin. It is observed that the 3D objects are best cured for two seconds curing time with 0.1 mm curing depth along Z-axis.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has the advantages of low cost, easy structure operation, rapid prototyping, and easy customization. In the past few years, materials with different structures, compositions, and properties have been widely studied as prospects in the field of 3D printing. This paper reviews the synthesis methods and morphologies of one-, two- and three-dimensional micro/nano materials and their composites, as well as their applications in electrochemistry, such as supercapacitors, batteries, and electrocatalysis. The latest progress and breakthroughs in the synthesis and application of different structural materials in 3D-printing materials, as well as the challenges and prospects of electrochemical applications, are discussed.

Biomedicine is one of the fastest growing areas of additive manufacturing. Especially, in the field of in vitro diagnostics (IVD), contributions of 3D printing include i) rapid prototyping and iterative IVD proof-of-concept designing ranging from materials, devices to system integration; ii) conceptual design simplification and improved practicality of IVD products; iii) shifting the IVD applications from centralized labs to point-of-care testing (POCT). In this review, the latest developments of 3D printing and its advantages in IVD applications are summarized. A series of 3D-printed objects for IVD applications, including single-function modules, multi-function devices which integrate several single-function modules for specific analytical applications such as sample pre-treatment and chemo-/bio-sensing, and all-in-one systems which integrate multi-function devices and the instrument operating them, are analyzed from the perspective of functional integration. The current and potential commercial applications of 3D-printed objects in the IVD field are highlighted. The features of 3D printing, especially rapid prototyping and low start-up, enable the easy fabrication of bespoke modules, devices and systems for a range of analytical applications, and broadens the commercial IVD prospects.

Flexible printed electronic technology makes it possible to fabricate low-cost digital microfluidic (DMF) chips. Inkjet printing on flexible substrates is one of the most cost-effective fabrication processes for DMF chips. Based on inkjet printing technology and simplified coating methods of dielectric and hydrophobic layers, we fabricated low-cost flexible DMF chips (FDMFCs) on PET sheet and on matte photo paper. The surface quality, conductivity and spatial output resolution of the silver lines under different number of printings, different line widths and line gaps on the two types of FDMFCs were comprehensively analyzed. The traditional square dispensing electrodes were optimized to reduce the volume error of the droplets generated during the repeated dispensing operations. Droplets can be driven to implement all the operations on various configurations of FDMFCs by electrowetting-on-dielectric, including closed configuration, open configuration, hybrid configuration composed of closed and open regions on a single chip, and open curved configuration, which are defined as full-range droplet actuation. The droplet motion between closed and open regions in two position modes of the top plate was deeply studied. Droplet operation experiments prove that the motion performance of droplets can be comparable to that of chips processed by traditional technology, and the rapid prototyping technology of the FDMFCs can make the performance of droplet operation mainly depend on the conductivity of the electrode layer and the electrode gap and greatly weaken the influence of the substrate surface quality on the FDMFCs.

Additive manufacturing is a fabrication technique that is transforming the industrial and manufacture industries. Due to its numerous advantages, additive manufacturing has become a popular trend in manufacturing processes. It is defined as the method of fabricating parts via layer-by-layer deposition of quantifiable. The main benefits of 3D printing or additive manufacturing (AM) are design liberty, bulk customization, unwanted minimization, and the capacity to build complicated assemblies, as well as rapid prototyping. A comprehensive review of emerging additive manufacturing technology in 3D printing, materials, methods, applications, challenges and future potential their evolution in popular applications was carried out. Overall, this study provides an summary of 3D printing, as well as a study of its advantages and disadvantages, to serve as a baseline for prospect investigation and improvement. This review will assist readers in comprehending the various features of additive manufacturing and identifying new areas for upcoming investigation.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is an appropriate name to describe the technologies that erect 3D objects by enumerating layer-upon-layer of material, hence the name additive, whether the material is thermoplastic, metal, concrete, exclusive materials such as ceramics, carbon fibre or even human tissues. A 3D Slicing programme (to slice the 3D model into successive layers), machine equipment configuration, and material layering are all popular AM technologies. The Slicing programme decodes data from the CAD file, slices it into successive layers, and converts it to G-codes after it is created. When we run this G-code in the AM System, the computer builds a 3D component by layering liquid resin, powder, or solid filaments on top of each other. Rapid prototyping (RP) is one of the quickest-growing automated manufacturing innovations, with the ability to go from CAD models to finished products. Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) and Direct Energy Deposition (DED) are two kinds of metal additive manufacturing techniques. The metal additive manufacturing method can also be classified by material type, energy source, build scale, and so on. This paper discusses the relevance of metal additive manufacturing and provides detailed information on the processes of Selective Laser Melting, Selective Laser Sintering, Direct Metal Deposition, and Laser Metal Deposition.

Digital manufacturing pretends to revolutionize manufacturing, its methods are increasingly increasing its participation in the industrial, scientific and technological fields worldwide, being a key point within the named "Industry 4.0", it is so in Ecuador the use of these laboratories, in conjunction with specialized machinery and CAD (Computer Aided Design), have been growing gradually in recent years. What is intended in this study is to collect data, through qualitative and quantitative research, on the development of digital manufacturing within this country, studying the companies that provide related services, and taking into consideration their progress within the evolution of industry 4.0, as well as the projects executed and proposed; With which it has been possible to determine the presence of this technology, adequate equipment and its growth at the national level with the so-called manufacturing laboratories. Keywords: Digital Manufacturing, FabLab™, Designs, Rapid Prototyping. References [1]Y. Cortés, C. Berecie, J. Landeta, J. Bocarando, F. Aguilar and M. Larios, «"El Entorno de la Industria 4.0: Implicaciones y Perspectivas Futuras",» Conciencia Tecnológica, p. 54, 2017. [2]E. J. Holm, «"What are Makerspaces, Hackerspaces, and Fab Labs",» Georgia State University and Georgia Institute of Technology, p. 60, 2014. [3]Vicepresidencia de la República del Ecuador, «Vicepresidencia de la República del Ecuador,» 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.vicepresidencia.gob.ec/vicepresidente-glas-visita-primer-fablab-de-guayaquil/. [4]A. F. M. Toscano, «"Centro de innovación FAB-LAB en el Bronx Bogotá como estrategia de transformación urbana y social del lugar",» Universidad Católica de Colombia., p. 38, 2017. [5]J. Román, «"Industria 4.0: la transformación digital de la Industria",» Conferencia de DIrectores y Decanos de Ingeniería Informática, p. 10, 2016. [6]CCELima, «Cooperación Española: Cultura/ Lima,» 24 Octubre 2017. [Online]. Available: https://ccelima.org/evento/conversatorio-fab-lab-impacto-en-la-educacion-e-industrias-culturales/. [7]F. Bocchicchio and M. Paz, «"Fablab Creating a Culture of Innovation in Ecuador",» Society of Petroleum Engineers, p. 4, 2015. [8]Wong, «Fabricación digital acelera entrada de productos al mercado,» 30 Septiembre 2019. [Online]. Available: https://andina.pe/agencia/noticia-fabricacion-digital-acelera-entrada-productos-al-mercado-768149.aspx. [9]S. V. Oliva, «"La impresión 3D como tecnología de uso general en el futuro",» Centro Universitario de la Defensa, 2018. [10]B. J. Briceño, E. A. Llanes, J. C. Rocha, E. Chamba, D. Cuasapud and A. Cárdenaz, «"Tecnologías de impresión 3D: evaluaciones de FDM y Polyjet en la fabricación de autopartes de automóviles",» Enfoque UTE, p. 03, 2019. [11]Álvarez and Lagos, «Scielo,» Agosto 2016. [Online]. Available: https://scielo.conicyt.cl/scielo.php?pid=S0718-33052016000500003&script=sci_arttext&tlng=n. [12]López, «De Máquinas y Herramientas,» 28 Diciembre 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.demaquinasyherramientas.com/mecanizado/introduccion-a-la-tecnologia-cnc. [13]Cabrera, Diseño y construcción de una máquina cortadora plasma, Ambato, 2018. [14]C. M, Puesta en marcha de un escáner 3D y aplicación de ingeniería inversa y fabricación aditiva, Valencia, 2017. [15]Mena, Escáner 3D autónomo con RaspberryPi, Valencia: Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria Informàtica, 2015. [16]Bacteria Lab, «Facebook bacteria lab,» 25 Marzo 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.facebook.com/bacteriaLabUIO/. [17]El tiempo, «Cuatro jóvenes cuencanos ponen la tecnología al alcance de todos,» EL TIEMPO, 18 Enero 2018. [18]Yachay, «Empres pública siembra,» 13 12 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT0p-BO9AXe5PtCTWgm_8k7g. [19]Diario Expreso, «El Luis Vernaza crea prótesis artificiales con impresión 3D,» EXPRESO, 22 Junio 2017. [20]M. Garcia and F. Lena, «"FabLab global survey: Characterization of FabLab phenomenon",» 2018 13th Iberian Conference on Information Systems and Technologies (CISTI), p. 53, 2018.

Purpose Chicken orthoses that cover the ankle joint area are not commercially available. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to fabricate a customised temporary Ankle–Foot Orthosis (AFO) for a chicken with a twisted ankle using computer-aided design (CAD) and three-dimensional (3D) printing. The secondary objective of the paper is to present the specific application of Additive Manufacturing (AM) in veterinary medicine. Design/methodology/approach The design process was based on multiple sketches, photos and measurements that were provided by the owner of the animal. The 3D model of the orthosis was made with Autodesk Fusion 360, while the prototype was fabricated using fused deposition modelling (FDM). Evaluation of the AFO was performed using the finite element method. Findings The work resulted in a functional 3D printed AFO for chicken. It was found that the orthosis made with AM provides satisfactory stiffen and a good fit. It was concluded that AM is suitable for custom bird AFO fabrication and, in some respects, is superior to traditional manufacturing methods. It was also concluded that the presented procedure can be applied in other veterinary cases and to other animal species and other parts of their body. AM provides veterinary with a powerful tool for the production of well-fitted and durable orthoses for animals. Research limitations/implications The study does not include the chicken's opinion on the comfort or fit of the manufactured AFO due to communication issues. Evaluation of the final prototype was done by the researchers and the animal owner. Originality/value No evidence was found in the literature on the use of AM for chicken orthosis, so this study is the first to describe such an application of AM. In addition, the study demonstrates the value of AM in veterinary medicine, especially in the production of devices such as orthoses.

The application of stereolithography, gives the possibilities to manufacture components with complex shape, during one continuous process based on the prepared virtual model in CAD system. The paper presents the results of experimental tests for samples printed using Low Force Stereolithography (LFS)TM technique, using Rigid 4000 Resin, Formlabs company. The experimental studies used unconventional post-processing, which consists in extending the exposure to UV lamps, without the application of heating. In the next step, optimized post processing parameters were used to manufacture components with different types and degrees of filling - linear and hexagonal. In the experiment, the samples were testes to a tensile strength test and a three-point bending test. The goal of the experiment was to select optimal parameters for post-processing and element design to reduce the component weight.

Purpose In flexible electronics applications, organic inks are mostly used for inkjet printing. Three-dimensional (3 D) printing technology has the advantages of low cost, high speed and good precision in modern electronic printing. The purpose of this study is to solve the high cost of traditional printing and the pollution emissions of organic ink. It is necessary to develop a water-based conductive ink that is easily degradable and can be 3 D printed. A nano-silver ink printed circuit pattern with high precision, high conductivity and good mechanical properties is a promising strategy. Design/methodology/approach The researched nano-silver conductive ink is mainly composed of silver nanoparticles and resin. The effect of adding methyl cellulose on the ink was also explored. A simple 3 D circuit pattern was printed on photographic paper. The line width, line length, line thickness and conductivity of the printed circuit were tested. The influence of sintering temperature and sintering time on pattern resistivity was studied. The relationship between circuit pattern bending performance and electrical conductivity is analyzed. Findings The experimental results show that the ink has the characteristics of low silver content and good environmental protection effect. The printing feasibility of 3 D printing circuit patterns on paper substrates was confirmed. The best printing temperature is 160°C–180°C, and the best sintering time is 30 min. The circuit pattern can be folded 120°, and the cycle is folded more than 60 times. The minimum resistivity of the circuit pattern is 6.07 µΩ·cm. Methyl cellulose can control the viscosity of the ink. The mechanical properties of the pattern have been improved. The printing method of 3 D printing can significantly reduce the sintering time and temperature of the conductive ink. These findings may provide innovation for the flexible electronics industry and pave the way for alternatives to cost-effective solutions. Originality/value In this study, direct ink writing technology was used to print circuit patterns on paper substrates. This process is simple and convenient and can control the thickness of the ink layer. The ink material is nonpolluting to the environment. Nano-silver ink has suitable viscosity and pH value. It can meet the requirements of pneumatic 3 D printers. The method has the characteristics of simple process, fast forming, low cost and high environmental friendliness.

Metal additive manufacturing (AM) processes have transitioned from rapid prototyping applications to industrial adoption owing to their flexibility in product design, tooling, and process planning. Directed energy deposition (DED) is one of the most commonly used metal AM processes capable of producing large, high density parts, with a controlled microstructure. However, there are still ongoing challenges in maintaining a high level of reliability and repeatability when compared to conventional manufacturing processes. There is a need to define, identify and maintain regions of process stability in DED. In this study, a high-dynamic range camera and a physics-based model are used to monitor the melt pool, obtain process signatures, and predict deposition stability characteristics. The research efforts are focused on generating process maps to identify unstable process zones, with a reference to process physics, process signatures, and process outcomes using analytical modeling, in-situ melt pool monitoring, and ex-situ characterization, respectively. The goal is to classify the process signatures in pre-defined process zones (under-melt, conduction, keyhole, balling) to avoid instabilities, defects and anomalies using a low-cost high-dynamic range camera and kNN classifier, which has achieved 13% error rate. With this approach, decisions can be made to perform corrective actions (e.g. machining, re-manufacturing) or to scrap the manufactured part without ex-situ characterization.

Additive manufacturing (AM) especially laser additive manufacturing (LAM), a novel manufacturing technique of layer-by-layer forming according to geometric model, provides a decent option for materials processing. It owns advantages of rapid prototyping, customization, high material utilization, and the ability to form complicated structures. This paper reviews popular LAM techniques of selective laser sintering/melting, laser metal deposition and laser direct writing. The development status of metallic materials including pure metal, steel, superalloy, titanium and aluminum alloy is presented. The challenges and application limitations of LAM are involved and the development trend in the future is forecasted. In summary, this paper gives an overview of metal LAM expecting to made helpful suggestions on future research and development.

The medical application of 3-dimensional printing technology has evolved in the last decade, with an increasing variety of uses in hand surgery. The ability for patient-specific design, rapid prototyping, and low cost of production of 3-dimensional printed materials has led to this rise in clinical applications, both for common procedures and complex reconstructions. Within hand surgery, 3-dimensional printing can be applied in several broad categories: to construct patient-specific models for preoperative planning, to design orthotics and prosthetics to meet specific patient demands, to create patient-specific aids for intraoperative use, to generate patient-specific hardware and prostheses for implantation, and for applications for trainee education.

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) has been widely applied in current communication systems. The artificial intelligence (AI)-aided OFDM receivers are currently brought to the forefront to replace and improve the traditional OFDM receivers. In this study, we first compare two AI-aided OFDM receivers, namely, data-driven fully connected deep neural network and model-driven ComNet, through extensive simulation and real-time video transmission using a 5G rapid prototyping system for an over-the-air (OTA) test. We find a performance gap between the simulation and the OTA test caused by the discrepancy between the channel model for offline training and the real environment. We develop a novel online training system, which is called SwitchNet receiver, to address this issue. This receiver has a flexible and extendable architecture and can adapt to real channels by training only several parameters online. From the OTA test, the AI-aided OFDM receivers, especially the SwitchNet receiver, are robust to real environments and promising for future communication systems. We discuss potential challenges and future research inspired by our initial study in this paper., Comment: 30 pages, 12 figures. Copyright may be transferred without notice, after which this version may no longer be accessible

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to establish a methodology for the design and development of patient-specific elbow implant with an elastic modulus close to that of the human bone. One of the most preferred implant material is titanium alloy which is about 8 to 9 times higher in strength than that of the human bone and is the closest than other metallic biomedical materials. Design/methodology/approach The methodology begins with the design of the implant from patient-specific computed tomography information and incorporates the manufacturing of the implant via a novel rapid prototyping assisted microwave sintering process. Findings The elastic modulus and the flexural strength of the implant were observed to be comparable to that of human elbow bones. The fatigue test depicts that the implant survives the one million cycles under physiological loading conditions. Other mechanical properties such as impact energy absorption, hardness and life cycle tests were also evaluated. The implant surface promotes human cell growth and adhesion and does not cause any adverse or undesired effects i.e. no cytotoxicity. Practical implications Stress shielding, and therefore, aseptic loosening of the implant shall be avoided. In the event of any trauma post-implantation, the implant would not hurt the patient. Originality/value The present study describes a methodology for the first time to be able to obtain the strength required for the medical implant without sacrificing the fatigue life requirement.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, also called rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing, transforms digital images into 3D printed objects, typically by layering consecutive thin films of material. This technology has become increasingly accessible to the public, prompting applications in veterinary surgery. Three-dimensional prints provide direct visualization of complex 3D structures and also haptic feedback relevant to surgery. The main objective of this review is to report current applications of 3D printing in small-animal surgery, including surgical education, preoperative planning, and treatment of tissue defects. The reported uses of 3D prints, their proposed advantages, and current limitations are discussed considering published evidence. Aspects of the manufacturing process specific to each application are described, along with current practices in veterinary surgery.

Autologous ear reconstruction is the preferred treatment in case of partial or total absence of the patient external ear. This kind of surgery can be really challenging since precise replication of complex three-dimensional structure of the ear is crucial to provide the patients with aesthetically consistent reconstructed anatomy. Therefore, the results strongly depends on the “artistic skills” of the surgeon who is in charge to carry out a three-dimensional sculpture, which resembles the shape of a normal ear. In this context, the definition of a preoperative planning and simulation process based on the patient's specific anatomy may help the surgeon in speeding up the ear reconstruction process and, at the same time, to obtain better results, thus allowing a superior surgical outcome. In the present work the main required features for performing an effective simulation of the ear reconstruction are identified and a strategy for their interactive design and customization is devised with the perspective of a semi-automatization of the procedure. In detail, the paper provides a framework which start from the acquisition of 3D data from both a healthy ear of the patient (or, if not available e.g. due to bilateral microtia of the ear of one of his parents or from a template) and of costal cartilage. Acquired 3D data are properly processed to define the anatomical elements of the ear and to find, using nesting-based algorithms, the costal cartilage portions to be used for carving the ear itself. Finally, 3D printing is used to create a mockup of the ear elements and a prototype of the ear to be reconstructed is created. Validated on a test case, the devised procedure demonstrate its effectiveness.

Additive manufacturing (AM) has received an increasing attention in the manufacturing sector, owing to its high-level design freedom and enhanced capability to produce parts with complex geometries. With advances in AM technologies, the role of AM has been shifting from rapid prototyping to viable production-worthy manufacturing of functional parts. However, AM processes are highly inconsistent, and the lack of quality assurance significantly hampers the broader adoption of AM. Most existing techniques for AM online monitoring focus on the detection of conspicuous defects, such as under-fills and cracks. They are limited in their ability to detect layer surface variations induced by miniature process shifts. The objective of this study is to develop a new layer-wise monitoring framework for AM quality assurance based on in-situ point cloud fusion. Specifically, online 3D structured-light scanning is used to capture the surface morphology from each printed layer. The collected point cloud is partitioned, and the morphological patterns in local regions are delineated with a new affinity measure to evaluate the conformity to the reference. A deep cascade model is further introduced to leverage the local affinities for the identification of abnormal patterns on the printed layers. Finally, a statistical control chart is constructed for process monitoring and the identification of miniature shifts. Simulation and real-world case studies using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) process are conducted, and experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness of the developed framework. It has a great potential to be implemented in diverse AM processes with a wide variety of materials for mission-critical applications.

Unlike conventional subtractive methods, 3D printing allows rapid prototyping and customization on demand. However, as a process recently applied to carbon-based materials, 3D printing faces many challenges, including the precise tailoring of the printed material and the control of its porosity, as well as obtaining directly printed (pure) carbon. The present review focuses on the latest advances in carbonaceous materials in 3D printing to address these challenges. A brief introduction to additive manufacturing processes is given, followed by a summary and many recent examples of manufacturing processes, structural characteristics, and applications of various carbon-based composites and carbonaceous materials. Finally, viewpoints and prospects for this emerging field are presented.

Deep learning algorithms are revolutionizing how hypothesis generation, pattern recognition, and prediction occur in the sciences. In the life sciences, particularly biology, and its subfields, the use of deep learning is slowly but steadily increasing. However, prototyping or development of tools for practical applications remains in the domain of experienced coders. Furthermore, many tools can be quite costly and difficult to put together without expertise in Artificial intelligence (AI) computing. We built a biological species classifier that leverages existing open-source tools and libraries. We designed the corresponding tutorial for users with basic skills in python and a small, but well-curated image dataset. We included annotated code in form of a Jupyter Notebook that can be adapted to any image dataset, ranging from satellite images, animals to bacteria, or even data such as song or echolocation recordings transformed into images. The prototype developer is publicly available and can be adapted for citizen science as well as other applications not envisioned in this paper. We illustrate our approach with a case study of 219 images of 3 three seastar species. We show that with minimal parameter tuning of the AI pipeline we can create a classifier with 87% accuracy. We include additional approaches to understand the misclassified images and to curate the dataset to increase accuracy. The power of AI approaches is becoming increasingly accessible. We can now readily build and prototype species classifiers that can have a great impact on research that requires species identification and other types of image analysis. Such tools have implications for citizen science, biodiversity monitoring, and a wide range of ecological applications.

Purpose This study aims to develop and demonstrate a deposition framework for the implementation of a region-based adaptive slicing strategy for the Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding-based additive manufacturing system. The present study demonstrates a deposition framework for implementing a novel region-based adaptive slicing strategy termed as Fast Interior and Accurate Exterior with Constant Layer Height (FIAECLH). Design/methodology/approach The mentioned framework has been developed by performing experiments using the design of experiments and analyzing the experimental data. Analysis results have been used to obtain the mathematical function to integrate customization in the process. The paper, in the end, demonstrates the FIAECLH framework for implementing region-based adaptive slicing strategy on the hardware level. Findings The study showcase a new way of implementing the region-based adaptive slicing strategy to arc-based metal additive manufacturing. The study articulating a new strategy for its implementation in all types of wire and arc additive manufacturing processes. Originality/value Wire-arc-based technology has the potential to deliver cost-effective solutions for metal additive manufacturing. The research on arc welding-based processes is being carried out in different dimensions. To deposit parts with complex geometry and better dimensional accuracy implementation of a novel region-based adaptive slicing strategy for the arc-based additive manufacturing process is an essential task. The successful implementation of an adaptive slicing strategy would ease the fabrication of complex geometry in less time. This paper accomplishes this need of implementing a region-based adaptive slicing strategy as no experimental investigation has been reported for the TIG-based additive manufacturing process.

"Product Innovation" is a 7-month product development course, conducted at the Institute of Innovation and Industrial Management with international and interdisciplinary student teams. A close connection and interaction between industry, students and research has been an important part of this project-based learning course. Due to the COVID19 pandemic and the worldwide occurring lockdowns, students were not able anymore to interact and conduct their projects in the proven manner. Being in a critical phase of the project, the course concept had to be reorganized and transferred to online conduction by using computer supported collaboration work within a few days. Both observations and surveys were used to compare changes in student´s behaviour and results of the project. This paper will describe 1) the original situation and course concept, 2) show how the course was transformed to online conduction, 3) describe the observations made and 4) analyse how the students experienced the transformation.