Search Results (6)

Accurate measurement uncertainty quantification and its propagation are critical for dimensional compliance in precision manufacturing. This study presents a novel framework that examines the evolution of measurement error along the axial length of CNC-turned components, focusing on spatial and material-specific factors. A systematic experimental comparison was conducted between a manual Digital Vernier Caliper (DVC) and an automated Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) using five engineering materials: Aluminum Alloy 6061, Brass C26000, Bronze C51000, Carbon Steel 1020 Annealed, and Stainless Steel 304 Annealed. Dimensional measurements were taken from five consecutive machining zones to capture localized metrological behaviors. The results indicated that the CMM consistently achieved lower expanded uncertainty (as low as 0.00166 mm) and minimal propagated uncertainties (≤0.0038 mm), regardless of material hardness or cutting position. In contrast, the DVC demonstrated significantly higher uncertainty (up to 0.03333 mm) and propagated errors exceeding 0.035 mm, particularly in harder materials and unsupported zones affected by surface degradation and fixture variability. Root-sum-square (RSS) modeling confirmed that manual measurements are more prone to operator-induced error amplification. While the DVC sometimes recorded lower absolute errors, its substantial uncertainty margins hampered measurement reliability. To statistically validate these findings, a two-way ANOVA was performed, confirming that both the measurement system and machining zone significantly impacted uncertainty, as well as their interaction. These results emphasize the importance of material-informed and zone-sensitive metrology, highlighting the advantages of automated systems in sustaining measurement repeatability and dimensional stability in high-precision applications. Full article

Attaining dimensional accuracy in CNC-machined parts is essential for high-precision manufacturing, especially when working with materials that exhibit varying mechanical and thermal characteristics. This research provides a thorough experimental comparison of manual and automated metrological systems, specifically the Digital Vernier Caliper (DVC) and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM), as applied to five different engineering alloys through five progressively machined axial zones. The study assesses absolute error, relative error, standard deviation, and measurement repeatability, factoring in material hardness, thermal conductivity, and surface changes due to machining. The results indicate that DVC performance is significantly affected by operator input and surface irregularities, with standard deviations reaching 0.03333 mm for Bronze C51000 and relative errors surpassing 1.02% in the initial zones. Although DVC occasionally showed lower absolute errors (e.g., 0.206 mm for Aluminum 6061), these advantages were countered by greater uncertainty and poor repeatability. In comparison, CMM demonstrated enhanced precision and consistency across all materials, with standard deviations below 0.0035 mm and relative errors being neatly within the 0.005–0.015% range, even with challenging alloys like Stainless Steel 304. Furthermore, a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was conducted to identify underlying measurement–property relationships. The PCA highlighted clear groupings based on sensitivity to error in manual versus automated methods, facilitating predictive classification of materials according to their metrological reliability. The introduction of multivariate modeling also establishes a new framework for intelligent metrology selection based on material characteristics and machining responses. These results advocate for using CMM in applications requiring precise tolerances in the aerospace, biomedical, and high-end tooling sectors, while suggesting that DVC can serve as an auxiliary tool for less critical evaluations. This study provides practical recommendations for aligning measurement techniques with Industry 4.0’s needs for accuracy, reliability, and data-driven quality assurance. Full article

Reducing the immunogenicity of animal-derived monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for use in humans is critical to maximize therapeutic effectiveness and preclude potential adverse events. While traditional humanization methods have primarily focused on grafting antibody Complementarity-Determining Regions (CDRs) on homologous human antibody scaffolds, framework regions can also play essential roles in antigen binding. Here, we describe the humanization of the pan-HLA-DR mAb 44H10, a murine antibody displaying significant involvement of the framework region in antigen binding. Using a structure-guided approach, we identify and restore framework residues that directly interact with the antigen or indirectly modulate antigen binding by shaping the antibody paratope and engineer a humanized antibody with affinity, biophysical profile, and molecular binding basis comparable to that of the parental 44H10 mAb. As a humanized molecule, this antibody holds promise as a scaffold for the development of MHC class II-targeting therapeutics and vaccines. Full article

The objective of this research is to evaluate cervical regeneration after large loop excision of the transformation zone (LLETZ) through the identification of a new sonographic reference point at the level of the uterine margins. In the period March 2021–January 2022, a total of 42 patients affected by CIN 2–3 were treated with LLETZ at the University Hospital of Bari (Italy). Before performing LLETZ, cervical length and volume were measured with trans-vaginal 3D ultrasound. From the multiplanar images, the cervical volume was obtained using the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis (VOCAL™) program with manual contour mode. The line that connects the points where the common trunk of the uterine arteries reaches the uterus splitting into the ascending major branch and the cervical branch was considered as the upper limit of the cervical canal. From the acquired 3D volume, the length and the volume of the cervix were measured between this line and the external uterine os. Immediately after LLETZ, the removed cone was measured using Vernier’s caliper, and before fixation in formalin, the volume of the excised tissue was evaluated by the fluid displacement technique based on the Archimedes principle. The proportion of excised cervical volume was 25.50 ± 17.43%. The volume and the height of the excised cone were 1.61 ± 0.82 mL and 9.65 ± 2.49 mm corresponding to 14.74 ± 11.91% and 36.26 ± 15.49% of baseline values, respectively. The volume and length of the residual cervix were also assessed using 3D ultrasound up to the sixth month after excision. At 6 weeks, about 50% of cases reported an unchanged or lower cervical volume compared to the baseline pre-LLETZ values. The average percentage of volume regeneration in examined patients was equal to 9.77 ± 55.33%. In the same period, the cervical length regeneration rate was 69.41 ± 14.8%. Three months after LLETZ, a volume regeneration rate of 41.36 ± 28.31% was found. For the length, an average regeneration rate of 82.48 ± 15.25% was calculated. Finally, at 6 months, the percentage of regeneration of the excised volume was 90.99 ± 34.91%. The regrowth percentage of the cervical length was 91.07 ± 8.03%. The cervix measurement technique that we have proposed has the advantage of identifying an unequivocal reference point in 3D cervical measurement. Ultrasound 3D evaluation could be useful in the clinical practice to evaluate the cervical tissue deficit and express the “potential of cervical regeneration” as well as provide the surgeon useful information about the cervical length. Full article

Soil shrink–swell behavior is a common phenomenon in farmland, which usually alters the process of water and solute migration in soil. In this paper, we report on a phenomenological investigation aimed at exploring the impact of drying–wetting cycles on the shrink–swell behavior of soil in farmland. Samples were prepared using clay loam collected from farmland and subjected to four drying–wetting cycles. The vertical deformation of soil was measured by a vernier caliper, and the horizontal deformation was captured by a digital camera and then calculated via an image processing technique. The results showed that the height, equivalent diameter, volume and shrinkage-swelling potential of the soil decreased with the repeated cycles. Irreversible deformation (shrinkage accumulation) was observed during cycles, suggesting that soil cracks might form owing to previous drying rather than current drying. The vertical shrinkage process consisted of two stages: a declining stage and a residual stage, while the horizontal shrinkage process had one more stage, a constant stage at the initial time of drying. The VG-Peng model fit the soil shrinkage curves very well, and all shrinkage curves had four complete shrinkage zones. Drying–wetting cycles had a substantial impact on the soil shrinkage curves, causing significant changes in the distribution of void ratio and moisture ratio in the four zones. However, the impact weakened as the number of cycles increased because the soil structure became more stable. Vertical shrinkage dominated soil deformation at the early stage of drying owing to the effect of gravity, while nearly isotropic shrinkage occurred after entering residual shrinkage. Our study revealed the irreversible deformation and deformation anisotropy of clay loam collected from farmland during drying–wetting cycles and analyzed the shrink–swell behavior during cycles from both macroscopic and microscopic points of view. The results are expected to improve the understanding of the shrink–swell behavior of clay loam and the development of soil desiccation cracks, which will be benefit research on water and solute migration in farmland. Full article

The article deals with the issues of improving the accuracy of measurements of the geometric parameters of objects by optoelectronic systems, based on a television multiscan. A mathematical model of a multiscan with scanistor activation is developed, expressions for its integral output current and video signal are obtained, and the mechanism of their formation is investigated. An expression for the video signal is obtained that reflects the dual nature of the discrete–continuous multiscan structure: the video signal can have a discrete (pulse) or analog (continuous) form, depending on the step voltage between the photodiode cells of the multiscan. A Vernier discrete–analog method for measuring the parameters of the light zone on a multiscan is proposed, in which in order to increase the accuracy of the measurements, the location of the video pulse is determined relative to the neighboring reference pulses of a rigid geometric raster due to the slope of the discrete structure of the multiscan. It is established that the Vernier method enables one to make precision measurements of the coordinates, dimensions, and movements of the light zones by an overlay on a video raster of reference pulses from cells—a uniform sequence of Vernier pulses with a recurrence interval, followed by determining the number of the Vernier pulse that coincides with the raster pulse. An optoelectronic device based on a discrete–continuous multiscan, implemented on the basis of the proposed Vernier method of measuring the coordinates of the light zones, which has a high sensitivity to movement, is characteristic of continuous structures, and has increased stability and linearity of the coordinate characteristics typical for discrete structures, is developed. Full article