Marco Bernagozzi

Additive Manufacturing (AM) for jewelry applications is increasingly adopting Binder Jetting (BJ) to overcome the fusion-related limitations associated with precious metals, including unstable melt pools, excessive reflectivity, and high thermal conductivity. In this context, the present review establishes a thermophysical and manufacturability-oriented framework that redefines thermal management beyond localized melt-pool stabilization toward the furnace-scale control of densification kinetics, shrinkage evolution, atmosphere-assisted sintering, and viscoplastic deformation. Particular emphasis is placed on gold-, silver-, and platinum-based jewelry alloys, with a specific focus on the thermal, mechanical, and chemical phenomena governing Binder Jetting sintering. During consolidation, low-density green bodies (~40–65% relative density) must transform into highly dense components through extensive volumetric shrinkage and gravity-driven deformation, creating major challenges in dimensional fidelity and surface quality. The review further examines predictive viscoplastic constitutive models (SOVS/ROH), reversed-deformation compensation strategies, and atmosphere-engineering approaches for oxide reduction, pore-pressure regulation, and residual-porosity control. By linking thermophysical consolidation, dimensional fidelity, polishability, and jewelry-grade manufacturability within a hierarchical framework, this review provides a structured basis for the development of high-precision and low-waste precious-metal additive manufacturing.

A Multi-Object Tracking (MOT) algorithm is introduced for analysing two-phase slug–plug flows through the simultaneous measurement of bubble velocity and infrared-based liquid temperature. Vapour bubbles are detected through the infrared intensity contrast arising from the distinct emissivity and transmissivity of the liquid and vapour phases, enabling robust dichotomic phase segmentation. The tracking procedure builds on a nearest-neighbour approach, augmented with a custom weighted function designed to ensure reliable bubble pairing across consecutive frames. The approach is demonstrated on a flexible polymeric flat Pulsating Heat Pipe (PHP) filled with FC-72 and tested under microgravity and hypergravity conditions during the 77th ESA Parabolic Flight Campaign. More than 5800 tracking events were processed, providing detailed velocity profile and liquid temperature trends in the adiabatic section, with a minimum detectable velocity of 4 mm/s within a range of ±200 mm/s. The method offers a quantitative characterisation of slug–plug flow dynamics together with a combined velocity–temperature analysis under variable gravity, establishing a robust pathway for automated diagnostics of two-phase flow in thermographic experiments.

This study presents a novel approach to enhance the educational utility of small-scale wind tunnels through low-cost instrumentation and automation. A legacy Plint TE80 vertical smoke tunnel was repurposed using consumer-grade components to enable automated measurement of aerodynamic properties. Two experimental methodologies were implemented to calculate drag coefficients: the Wake Momentum Deficit Principle and the Surface Pressure Distribution Method, using a NACA0012 airfoil and a cylindrical model. The system achieved drag coefficient measurements within 2% of literature values, demonstrating its viability for educational use. Beyond technical validation, the project addresses broader educational challenges: limited access to high-cost aerodynamic facilities, especially in low-resource settings. By demonstrating that legacy equipment can be modernised affordably (less than 200 GBP) and effectively, this work supports the integration of hands-on experimentation into engineering curricula. This case study underscores the potential of accessible instrumentation to enrich fluid dynamics education and foster deeper student engagement with experimental methods.

This study extends beyond conventional Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) research by conducting a Life Cycle Analysis comparing the environmental impacts of two technologies: a traditional active cold plate system and an innovative passive Loop Heat Pipe (LHP) system. While active cold plate BTMS requires continuous energy input during operation and charging, leading to significant energy consumption and emissions, the passive LHP BTMS operates without external power or moving parts, substantially reducing the climate change impact. This analysis considered two materials for LHP construction: copper and stainless steel. The results demonstrated that the LHP design achieved a 9.9 kg reduction in overall BTMS mass compared to the cold plate system. The implementation of stainless steel effectively addressed the high resource consumption associated with copper while reducing environmental impact by over 50% across most impact categories, compared to the cold plate BTMS. The passive operation of the LHP system leads to substantially lower energy usage and emissions during the use phase compared to the active cold plate. These findings highlight the potential of passive LHP technology to enhance the environmental sustainability of Battery Thermal Management Systems while maintaining effective thermal performance.