International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

Austenitic stainless steels are widely used in various industries, including petrochemicals, food processing, and textiles, due to their excellent corrosion resistance, acceptable mechanical properties, and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, their good weldability makes laser welding a popular choice for manufacturing various designs. However, achieving optimal weld quality in laser welding requires precise and controlled adjustment of several key parameters. In this study, the effects of two fundamental process parameters—laser power and welding speed—on the mechanical properties of laser-welded AISI 316 stainless steel structures were investigated. For this purpose, a 2-factor, 3-level full factorial experimental design was implemented. The welded structures were subjected to tensile testing, and their microstructures were analysed.

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is a prominent additive manufacturing process used for fabricating complex metallic structures, but it often encounters challenges related to thermal distortions and residual stresses, particularly in thin-walled structures. These issues compromise the integrity and dimensional accuracy of the parts. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has been essential in simulating and understanding the thermal and mechanical behaviors during the LPBF process. This study focuses on validating a refined FEA model developed using ANSYS Additive Print (AAP) to predict the thermal distortions in CoCr thin-wall structures. The validation involves comparing simulation results with experimental data to verify the model’s effectiveness. The study demonstrates the integration of advanced simulation techniques in predicting distortions and stresses, thereby enhancing the reliability and accuracy of the manufacturing process.

In wet wipe machines, equipment such as tanks, pumps, pipes, and valves that come into contact with the wet wipe solution, conveyor belts, and steel surfaces with which the liquid comes into contact, must be disinfected at regular intervals under hygienic production rules. Disinfection is carried out using hot water, alcohol-based disinfectants, surfactants, detergents, oxidizing agents, or a mixture of all these methods. In current applications, liquids are drained manually from preparation units or tanks, and machine surfaces are cleaned manually. Cleaning and sanitation is done by hand. At the same time, performing some cleaning scenarios is harmful to human health because of hot steam or water, chemical cleaning steam, etc. So, it is impossible to ensure the hygiene level of systems. In this study, safe by design and prevention approaches were used and a system equipped with several measurement sensors was designed to work with different sanitary liquids and their preparation units according to sanitary recipes, producing a report at the end of the cleaning process. There are devices such as pH meters, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, and several water analyzers in the system, and it is decided that cleaning is completed by processing the data from these sensors. This article describes the system developed in compliance with industry 4.0 applications

One of the most critical consumable expenses in the production of wet wipes is the anvil and knife set used in the cutting unit. Blades that lose their cutting ability over time and become unable to perform their task pose a significant challenge. As wet wipes are essential products for maintaining hygiene and directly affect human health, even the slightest disruptions in production conditions are unacceptable. To ensure the quality and consistency of wet wipe production, it is vital to analyze the factors affecting the strenght of cutting blades and implement the necessary precautions. One of the key factors influencing the wear of cutting tools is the mechanical strength of the tool’s carrying unit. This paper explores the importance of cutting tools in wet wipe production, the role of mechanical strength in maintaining their effectiveness and application of mathematical modeling to design.

Additive manufacturing approach is thought to be a key element to meet the needs of Industry 4.0. Selective laser melting (SLM) is a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing method for producing fully functional components. It is critical to determine the fatigue behavior of components produced by selective laser melting in order to fulfill the needs of industries with rigorous norms and criteria, such as the aviation industry. However, the rapid heating and cooling cycle caused by the nature of the SLM process has a negative mechanical effect on the components manufactured by this process.. Mechanical properties such as hardness and fatigue behavior should be disclosed for Co-Cr-Mo alloy manufactured by SLM technique. In this study, hardness and fatigue tests were performed on Co-Cr-Mo alloy components manufactured by SLM, and microstructure images were acquired and evaluated. When the microstructure of the samples was analyzed, tiny precipitates localized at the grain boundaries were discovered, along with the dominating γ phase. The average hardness value of the samples subjected to the Vickers microhardness test was 482±10. The fatigue life of the samples at the maximum stress of 800 MPa was 47,351 cycles. At the minimum stress of 400 MPa, the fatigue life exceeded 107 cycles. When fatigue fracture surfaces were examined, flat fracture surfaces similar to semi-cleavage were detected. The results will contribute to the literature on the mechanical characterization of SLM manufactured Co-Cr-Mo alloy components.

Wet wipe machines are machines for high capacity production at high speeds. Even the short downtimes of the machines in the production area lead to huge losses for manufacturers. However, in these machines; unexpected breakdowns such as belt breakage, bearing damage, sensor motor failures, pneumatic air leaks are frequently encountered. In order to prevent unwanted stoppages, a sensor, actuator and plc based application has been implemented to prevent failure parameters and to detect faultlessly by monitoring the operation parameters. As a result of the studies carried out, our wet wipe machines that we produce have been adapted to the industry 4.0 concept.