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Metal injection molding (MIM) is a near net-shape manufacturing process combining conventional plastic injection molding and powder metallurgy. Two kinds of injections molds for MIM were developed using conventional mold steel and aluminum (Al)-filled epoxy resins in this study. The characteristics of the mold made by rapid tooling technology (RTT) were evaluated and compared with that of the fabricated conventional machining method through the MIM process. It was found that the service life of the injection mold fabricated by Al-filled epoxy resin is about 1300 molding cycles with the average surface roughness of 158 nm. The mold service life of the injection mold fabricated by Al-filled epoxy resin is about 1.3% that of the conventional mold steel. The reduction in manufacturing cost of an injection mold made by Al-filled epoxy resin is about 30.4% compared with that of the fabricated conventional mold steel. The saving in manufacturing time of an injection mold made by RTT is about 30.3% compared with that of the fabricated conventional machining method.

Highlights Current manufacturing cost of perovskite solar modules is calculated as 0.57 $ W −1 much higher than that of the silicon solar cells. Cost Effectivities analysis indicates that materials cost shares 70% of costs, and capital cost and other cost share nearly 15%, respectively. The cost of perovskite solar modules has the potential to outperform crystalline silicon under conditions of 25% efficiency, lifetime of 25 years, and cost reduction of materials and equipment, etc. The commercialization of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has garnered worldwide attention and many efforts were devoted on the improvement of efficiency and stability. Here, we estimated the cost effectivities of PSCs based on the current industrial condition. Through the analysis of current process, the manufacturing cost and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of PSCs is estimated as 0.57 $ W −1 and 18–22 US cents (kWh) −1 , respectively, and we demonstrate the materials cost shares 70% of the total cost. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the improvement of efficiency, yield and decrease in materials cost significantly reduce the cost of the modules. Analysis of the module cost and LCOE indicates that the PSCs have the potential to outperform the silicon solar cells in the condition of over 25% efficiency and 25-year lifetime in future. To achieve this target, it is essential to further refine the fabrication processes of each layer in the module, develop stable inorganic transport materials, and precisely control material formation and processing at the microscale and nanoscale to enhance charge transport.

Maximum lifetime and minimum manufacturing cost for new products are the primary goals of companies for competitiveness. These two objectives are contradictory and the geometric dimensions of the products directly control them. In addition, the earlier design errors of new products are predicted, the easier and more inexpensive their rectification becomes. To achieve these objectives, we propose in this article a novel model that makes it possible to solve the problem of optimizing the lifespan and the manufacturing cost of new products during the phase of their design. The prediction of the life of the products is carried out by an energy damage method implemented on the finite element (FE) calculation by using the ABAQUS software. The manufacturing cost prediction is carried out by applying the ABC cost estimation analytical method. In addition, the optimization problem is solved by the method of genetic algorithms. The proposed model can be successfully applied for the optimization of new mechanical products made by subtractive manufacturing. The products that mostly benefits from this model are those used in machines and in the automotive or aeronautic fields. The proposed approach can be directly used by the designer for an optimal preliminary design of new products whose manufacture is done by the same company or subcontracted entirely or partially by other companies.

At present, the landing of seams and butts on the ship hull surface, which plays the important role in the shipbuilding process, is still carried out based on the designers’ skill and experience. In this paper, a new optimization model and its solution method for the landing of seams and butts (for convenience, seam and butt are simply called seam) on the ship hull surface are proposed in order to improve the shipbuilding efficiency. The minimum manufacturing cost of ship hull shell plates (SHSPs) is the objective function, the rules and requirements for the seam position and the size of a single shell plate are the constraints, and the position and shape of the seam are the design variables. The manufacturing cost consists of the costs of cutting, face cutting, bending, and welding, which are calculated for a seam landing, and the strip method is applied to develop the curved shell plate in the bending cost calculation. We consider a shape optimization problem that the optimal solution is searched among the possible alternatives when the position and shape of the seams are changed and apply the genetic algorithm to the solution of this shape optimization problem. The proposed method is applied to a 4200 DWT bulk carrier and a fishing vessel to find the optimal solutions, and compared with the existing seam landings of the ships and the optimum solutions by Taguchi method. The calculation shows that the manufacturing cost by the proposed method for 4200 DWT bulk carrier is reduced by 5.8% and 4.5%, respectively, compared to the existing seam landing and Taguchi method, and by 6.6% and 4.8% for the fishing vessel, respectively. This shows that the proposed method is more effective than the designers’ experience and Taguchi method.

As companies, countries, and governments consider investments in vaccine production for routine immunization and outbreak response, understanding the complexity and cost drivers associated with vaccine production will help to inform business decisions. Leading multinational corporations have good understanding of the complex manufacturing processes, high technological and R&D barriers to entry, and the costs associated with vaccine production. However, decision makers in developing countries, donors and investors may not be aware of the factors that continue to limit the number of new manufacturers and have caused attrition and consolidation among existing manufacturers. This paper describes the processes and cost drivers in acquiring and maintaining licensure of childhood vaccines. In addition, when export is the goal, we describe the requirements to supply those vaccines at affordable prices to low-resource markets, including the process of World Health Organization (WHO) prequalification and supporting policy recommendation. By providing a generalized and consolidated view of these requirements we seek to build awareness in the global community of the benefits and costs associated with vaccine manufacturing and the challenges associated with maintaining consistent supply. We show that while vaccine manufacture may prima facie seem an economic growth opportunity, the complexity and high fixed costs of vaccine manufacturing limit potential profit. Further, for most lower and middle income countries a large majority of the equipment, personnel and consumables will need to be imported for years, further limiting benefits to the local economy.

Nanobodies (Nbs) have arisen as an alternative to conventional antibodies (Abs) and show great potential when used as tools in different biotechnology fields such as diagnostics and therapy. Different approaches have been described for the production of Nbs and these methods face new challenges focused on improving yield, affinity, and reducing production costs. This review summarizes these challenges, and also the latest advances in the detection of different kinds of molecules, such as proteins and small molecules, and describes their potential use for noninvasive in vivo imaging and for in vitro assays. Moreover, the unique properties of Nbs are outlined like internalization, size, thermal and chemical stability, affinity, blood clearance, and labeling procedures. Concerning therapeutic applications, we highlight some already reported examples about Nbs being used for the treatment of several diseases such as cancer, neurodegenerative or infectious diseases among others. Finally, future trends, opportunities, and disadvantages are also discussed.