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Lamina Emergent Mechanisms (LEMs) are a class of compliant mechanisms that can be manufactured from sheet goods and possess motion out of the plane of fabrication. LEMs can be designed to perform sophisticated motions. This thesis expands LEM understanding and increases the ability to utilize them in applications by introducing the fundamentals of spherical LEMs, creating joints suitable for LEMs, and providing an example of a LEM application. In this thesis, the fundamentals of spherical LEMs are developed. This includes classification of all possible spherical 4R LEMs and a discussion of the motion characteristics of the various mechanisms. The motion characteristics associated with spherical 4R LEMs are then used to predict the motion of spherical 6R LEMs and arrays of spherical LEMs. Multiple spherical LEM prototypes are shown and discussed. A common difficulty of working with compliant mechanisms, especially LEMs, is creating suitable joints. There is often a trade off between flexibility in the desired direction of deflection, and stiffness in directions of undesired deflection. For this thesis, LEM joints that possess higher off-axis stiffness, especially in tension and compression, than previous designs were developed: the I-LET, the T-LET, and the IT-LET. Joint geometries were optimized and then modeled in commercial finite element analysis (FEA) software capable of nonlinear analysis. These models were used to predict the bending of tensile/compressive stiffnesses of the joints. As a benchmark, lamina emergent torsional (LET) joints were modeled and optimized for maximum tension and compression loading while maintaining the same bending stiffness as the joint being compared. Mechanisms that utilized the new joints were created and are briefly discussed. The use of these joints allows for minimized parasitic motion under tension and compression loads and expands the capability of LEM joints. The Lens Lift™ was developed to demonstrate an application of LEMs. The Lens Lift™ is a LEM device that allows for easier and more sterile use of disposable contact lenses. It possesses a monolithic structure and can be fabricated using simple manufacturing processes. As the contact lens user opens the blister pack used to store the lens, the lens is lifted out of the pack and presented to the user. The user can then lift the lens with one touch and place it in the eye. A provisional patent has been filed for the device and the device currently being evaluated by a major contact lens manufacturer for further development.

This dissertation details the design and implementation of a state-of-the-art ambient trace analysis technique known as laser electrospray mass spectrometry. This novel technique utilizes an intense, nonresonant femtosecond laser pulse to transfer nonvolatile, fragile molecules into the gas phase from various substrates. The vaporized analyte is subsequently captured, solvated and ionized in an electrospray plume enabling mass analysis. Laser electrospray mass spectrometry is capable of analyzing samples in the liquid or solid states, mass spectral imaging of adsorbed molecules and detecting low vapor pressure analytes remotely. Experiments with biomolecules and pharmaceuticals, such as vitamin B12 and oxycodone, have demonstrated that the nonresonant femtosecond laser pulse allows for coupling into and vaporization of all molecules. This implies that sample preparation (elution, mixing with matrix and choosing samples with a particular electronic or vibrational transition) is not necessary, thus creating a universal mass analysis technique. Investigations using low vapor pressure molecules, such as lipids and proteins, led to the discovery that unfragmented molecules are transferred into the gas phase via a nonthermal mechanism. The laser electrospray mass spectrometry technique has allowed for the nonresonant femtosecond laser vaporization and mass analysis of trace amounts of a nitro-based explosive from a metal surface. The vaporization of unfragmented explosive molecules from a surface facilitates the identification of the explosive, reducing the probability of false positives and false negatives. In addition, this "soft" vaporization of molecules using nonresonant femtosecond laser pulses allows for protein to be transferred from the condensed phase into the gas phase without altering the molecule's structure, enabling ex vivo conformational analysis and possible disease typing. / Chemistry

Lamina emergent mechanisms (LEMs) are a maturing technology that is prepared for commercial implementation into new products. LEMs are defined by three functional characteristics; they (1) are compliant, (2) are fabricated from planar materials, and (3) emerge from a flat initial state. Advantages, design challenges, and design tools are described for each of the functional characteristics. Opportunities for LEMs are discussed, namely disposable LEMs, novel arrays of LEMs, scaled LEMs, LEMs with surprising motion, shock absorbing LEMs, and deployable LEMs. Technology push product development processes were employed to select applications for LEMs. LEM technology was characterized. In a LEM workshop, eighteen industry professionals then helped identify over 200 potential applications for the technology. The applications were evaluated, and the most promising ideas that were identified for each LEM opportunity are described with graphics of possible product embodiments. Of the various product opportunities enabled by LEMs, deployable mechanisms – particularly in the credit card size – are among the most viable. The compactness and portability of credit-card-sized products create a strong motivation for their development. Expanding the capabilities of credit-card-sized mechanisms to include more sophisticated motions and a broader range of tasks may dramatically increase their market potential. A review of the current state-of-the-art in credit-card-sized mechanisms reveals two primary classes of mechanisms most commonly used in this form factor: rigid-body mechanisms and in-plane compliant mechanisms. The limitations of each and corresponding LEM advantages are described. Criteria for determining whether a product is a suitable candidate for using LEM technology to create or improve a credit-card-sized product are established. The advantages of LEMs in credit-card-sized products are illustrated through an example product: a compact lancing device that could be used as a main component for a highly portable epinephrine syringe.

In several applications of casting, dendritic microstructure is not desirable as it results in poor mechanical properties. Enhancing fluid flow in the mushy zone by stirring is one of the means to suppress this dendritic growth. Strong fluid flow detaches the dendrites formed at the solid-liquid interface and carries them into the mould to form slurry. When this slurry solidifies, the microstructure is characterized by globular, non-dendritic primary phase particles, separated and enclosed by a near-eutectic lower-melting secondary phase. This property represents a great potential for further processing in semisolid forming (SSF) by various techniques such as pressure die casting and forging. Among all currently available methods, linear electromagnetic (EM) stirring is considered as one of the most suitable routes for large scale production of semisolid feed stock. One of the biggest advantages of EM stirring is that the stirring intensity and direction can be modulated externally and in a non-intrusive manner. With this viewpoint, the primary objective of the present research is to investigate rheocasting using linear electromagnetic stirring. A systematic development of a linear electromagnetic stirrer (LEMS) is the subject of the first part of the thesis. The LEMS consists of a set of six primary coils displaced in space. These coils are excited by a three-phase power supply to produce an axially travelling magnetic field. The metal to be stirred is placed in the annular space of the stirrer. The travelling field induces secondary current in the molten metal. The current and magnetic fields interact to generate a net mechanical force in the metal, commonly termed as the Lorentz force. The molten metal is stirred under the influence of this force. Two prototype stirrers, one for low melting alloys and the other for aluminium alloys are developed. The stirrers are characterized by measuring forces on low melting point alloy and on solid aluminum cylinders placed inside the annular space of the stirrer. As an outcome of these tests, a non-intrusive method of detecting stirring of liquid metal is developed. The development of a rheocasting mould for the LEMS forms the second part of the work presented in the thesis. The mould design and cooling arrangement are such that solidification in the mould is primarily unidirectional. Heat from the solidifying metal is extracted at the bottom of the mould, so that the axisymmetric EM stirring effectively shears the dendrites formed at the solid-liquid interface. The outer surface of the mould is cooled with water or air exiting from 64 jets, each of 4 mm diameter. Such an arrangement provides a high heat transfer coefficient and a wide range of cooling rate in the metal ranging from 0.01 to 10 K/s. Temperature is measured at various depths in the solidifying melt and at other key locations in the mould to assess the various heat transfer mechanisms. The results from the rheocasting experiments using the above mould and LEMS are presented in the third and final part of the thesis. Such studies are required for understanding the solidification process in presence of electromagnetic stirring and for highlighting the important issues connecting solidification, fluid flow, dendrite fragmentation and the resulting microstructure. A series of experiments are performed with A356 (Al-7Si-0.3Mg) alloy. Experiments are conducted with various combinations of operating parameters, and the resulting microstructures and cooling curves at various locations are examined. The key process parameters are stirring current, cooling rate, pouring temperature, and stirring current frequency. The parametric studies also include the case without EM stirring in which liquid aluminium is poured into the rheocast mould without powering the LEMS. It is found that stirring at high currents produces non-dendritic microstructures at all locations of the billet. For lower currents, however, dendritic microstructures are observed in regions outside the zone of active stirring. Stirring also enhances heat loss from the exposed top surface, leading to solid front advancement from the top as well. Without EM stirring, microstructures are found to be dendritic everywhere. The percentage of primary α-Al phase and its number density are found to increase with stirring intensity. With a decrease in cooling rate with air as the coolant, the average grain size of primary α-Al phase increases. Excitation frequency is found to be an important parameter, with lower frequencies generating a more uniform force field distribution, and higher frequencies enhancing induction heating. At higher frequencies, the effect of higher induction heating results in the formation of larger and coarser primary phase grains. This phenomenon has led to the development of a one-step process for rheocasting and heat treatment of billets.

This work explores the use of carbon-infiltrated carbon nanotube (CI-CNT) forests as a material for fabricating compliant MEMS devices. The impacts of iron catalyst layer thickness and carbon infiltration time are examined. An iron layer of 7nm or 10nm with an infiltration time of 30 minutes produces CI-CNT best suited for compliant applications. Average maximum strains of 2% and 2.48% were observed for these parameters. The corresponding elastic moduli were 5.4 GPa and 4.1 GPa, respectively. A direct comparison of similar geometry suggested CI-CNT is 80% more flexible than single-crystal silicon. A torsional testing procedure provided an initial shear modulus of about 5 GPa for the 7-nm, 30-min CI-CNT. The strain and elastic modulus values were used to design numerous functional devices which were then fabricated in CI-CNT. A series of compliant cell restraint mechanisms were developed, assessed, and revised. A passive restraint with no moving parts was found to be both the most effective design and the easiest design to produce economically. A refined version of the passive restraint has been released commercially. Another series of designed devices successfully demonstrates the implementation of CI-CNT LEM designs.