Projection Micro-Stereolithography to Manufacture a Biocompatible Micro-Optofluidic Device for Cell Concentration Monitoring.

In this work, a 3D printed biocompatible micro-optofluidic (MoF) device for two-phase flow monitoring is presented. Both an air-water bi-phase flow and a two-phase mixture composed of micrometric cells suspended on a liquid solution were successfully controlled and monitored through its use. To manufacture the MoF device, a highly innovative microprecision 3D printing technique was used named Projection Microstereolithography (PμSL) in combination with the use of a novel 3D printable photocurable resin suitable for biological and biomedical applications.

A Regression Approach to Model Refractive Index Measurements of Novel 3D Printable Photocurable Resins for Micro-Optofluidic Applications.

In this work, a quadratic polynomial regression model was developed to aid practitioners in the determination of the refractive index value of transparent 3D printable photocurable resins usable for micro-optofluidic applications. The model was experimentally determined by correlating empirical optical transmission measurements (the ) to known refractive index values (the ) of photocurable materials used in optics, thus obtaining a related regression equation. In detail, a novel, simple, and cost-effective experimental setup is proposed in this study for the first time for collecting the transmission measurements of smooth 3D printed samples (roughness ranging between 0.

A distribution-free EWMA control chart for monitoring time-between-events-and-amplitude data.

Many control charts have been developed for the simultaneous monitoring of the time interval between successive occurrences of an event E and its magnitude . All these TBEA (Time Between Events and Amplitude) control charts assume a known distribution for the random variables and . But, in practice, as it is rather difficult to know their actual distributions, proposing a distribution free approach could be a way to overcome this 'distribution choice' dilemma.

Linking Six Sigma to simulation: a new roadmap to improve the quality of patient care.

Purpose: Improving the quality of patient care is a challenge that calls for a multidisciplinary approach, embedding a broad spectrum of knowledge and involving healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds. The purpose of this paper is to present an innovative approach that implements discrete-event simulation (DES) as a decision-supporting tool in the management of Six Sigma quality improvement projects.

Design/methodology/approach: A roadmap is designed to assist quality practitioners and health care professionals in the design and successful implementation of simulation models within the define-measure-analyse-design-verify (DMADV) or define-measure-analyse-improve-control (DMAIC) Six Sigma procedures.

Modelling a radiology department service using a VDL integrated approach.

Purpose: The healthcare industry is facing several challenges such as the reduction of costs and quality improvement of the provided services. Engineering studies could be very useful in supporting organizational and management processes. Healthcare service efficiency depends on a strong collaboration between clinical and engineering experts, especially when it comes to analyzing the system and its constraints in detail and subsequently, when it comes to deciding on the reengineering of some key activities.