Ramu Murugan

• M.E., Ph.D.
• Professor at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

CONTEXT Agricultural sustainability in rural India is vital for ensuring food security and livelihoods, particularly for small-scale farmers. Many rural communities exhibit a blend of sustainable and unsustainable farming practices, affecting both their agricultural productivity and resilience in the face of environmental and socio-economic challen...

This study aims at the development and characterization of polylactic acid (PLA)—silicon nitride (Si3N4) composites for fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing. Polymer ceramic composite filaments with varying Si3N4 concentrations (3%, 5%, and 7% by weight) were fabricated and extensively characterized. A quasi-isotropic layup was chosen as th...

Crash boxes play a crucial role in cars by serving as energy-absorbing components, typically located at the front end. They are intentionally designed to collapse in a controlled manner during frontal collisions. The objective of this research is to enhance the energy-absorption capabilities of crash boxes through the integration of strut-based lat...

Manufacturing industries have taken a leap with the coming of polymer composites and have been much broadly explored in this era. Composites with ceramic reinforcements to polymer matrices have proven potentially efficient in improving mechanical properties. This work explores the idea in implementing PLA-silicon nitride composites in manufacturing...

This investigation highlights the performance of high‐performance polymeric composite for ballistic application. Therefore, reinforcement of para ‐aramid fiber in poly‐ether‐ketone‐ketone (PEKK) resin film has been made. The surface of PEKK and para ‐aramid fiber was modified by low‐pressure plasma to enhance the surface energy of the polymeric fil...

Background: Protecting crops from various threats, including vermin, pests, animals and rodents, is essential for sustaining agriculture. In India, especially in regions like Rajasthan, animal attacks result in significant crop losses, up to 40%. This section underscores the importance of safeguarding crops against these threats. Methods: According...

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) process is an economic 3D printing process prone to surface and dimensional defects. Nylon’s water absorption properties make it more prone to the said inaccuracies. These inaccuracies were studied with the help of appropriate artifacts and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). A standard test artifact was designed for...

The performance loss in industrial equipment due to friction and wear is one of the critical concerns among researchers. This drives the need to develop lubrication fluids that reduce friction to provide extended performance. The global sustainability movement drives the research towards novel bio-based oils to aid in lubrication. This study analys...

This study aims to find the effect of the direct aging and T6 heat treatment on AlSi10Mg alloy fabricated by powder bed fusion-laser melting (PBF-LM) process. The effect of pre- and post-heat treatment on the mechanical, metallurgical and corrosion properties were examined. The conventional T6 heat treatment is performed on the cast alloy to improv...

In the welding of thick steel components, residual stresses have a significant role in deteriorating the quality of the weld joints because they contribute to fatigue crack development in a structure. This paper focuses on the investigations of the influence of welding parameters such as welding input current, gas flow, and torch nozzle-to-plate di...

The popularity and prevalence of devices equipped with object detection technology and controllable via the Internet of Things (IoT) have increased, especially in the post-Corona era. The development of neural networks and artificial intelligence by combining them with IoT systems has achieved acceptable satisfaction among users in adverse conditio...

Functionally graded A333/6wt.%B4C/4wt.%ZrO2 hybrid composite manufactured through horizontal-centrifuge casting is subjected to statistical investigation focused on the parametric influences and interactions on wear responses–specific wear rate and coefficient of friction. Taguchi’s L27 orthogonal array design facilitates accurate trend analysis of...

The building sector consumes 35% energy for the cooling/heating of the buildings. To diminish the energy consumption of the buildings, it is necessary to advance the research on passive cooling/heating methods. The development of new and advanced materials for building components will provide a lesser environmental impact. The phase change material...

Two-phase porous materials are extensively employed in industries and their thermal characteristics decide on the overall efficiency of the system. Several dependent parameters such as geometry, its structure, heat transfer mechanism, and contact ratio, strongly influence the effective thermal conductivity (ETC) of the two-phase system. There are v...

The focus of this research work is to investigate the dimensional deviations obtained in the Fused Deposition Modelling process using ABS material and to perform optimization studies of 3D printing parameters. Preliminary investigations were carried out to identify the influence of size using different geometrical shapes and observed that small siz...

This paper focusses on effect of flat wire electrode on gas metal arc welding (FW-GMAW) inline during the process to improve quality of weld bead. Since the flat wire electrode perimeter has enlarged, the turbulence of the molten droplet characteristics is altered due to the effect of electromagnetic force. To bring out, butt joint welding are prov...

The development of fused filament fabrication has extended the range of application of additive manufacturing in various areas of research. However, the mechanical strength of the fused filament fabrication–printed parts were considerably lower than that of parts fabricated by other conventional methods, owing to the observed anisotropic behaviour...

This paper focusses on effect of flat wire electrode on gas metal arc welding (FW-GMAW) inline during the process to improve quality of weld bead. Since the flat wire electrode perimeter has enlarged, the turbulence of the molten droplet characteristics is altered due to the effect of electromagnetic force. To bring out, butt joint welding are prov...

Due to an unfortunate oversight during the conversion process, Reference [3] has been given erroneously in the XML version. The original article has been corrected.

The development of biomaterials has a significant effect in tissue engineering, which restores the injured tissues of humans. Manufacturing of biomaterials is an interesting process, which depends on nature of bone injury and patients. The fabrication of three‐dimensional scaffold can be performed through additive manufacturing owing to its manufac...

Additive manufacturing is a promising technology which finds varied applications in industry. Fused Deposition modelling technique has improved the range of application of AM as it utilizes layer by layer deposition to manufacture faster prototypes of different dimensions and geometries. Studies have focussed on the mechanical behaviour, especially...

A comprehensive numerical model was developed to predict the transient temperature distribution during the gas metal arc welding process with the use of flat wire electrode (FW-GMAW). Since the perimeter of the flat wire electrode has increased, the turbulence of the molten characteristics is altered due to the effect of electromagnetic force. To v...

The main requirements for machine tool structures are higher damping, stiffness, and dimensional stability and low thermal expansion coefficient. Compared with cast iron (CI), stone-based polymer composite provides improved damping characteristics, because of which it is being considered as an alternate material for machine tool structures in recen...

Increasing the energy ratio of air conditioners (AC) having cooled air condenser is a difficult problem, particularly in areas where the temperature and humidity are very high. The efficiency of AC based on the standard vapor compression technology can enhance by combining these active cooling technologies with less energy-intensive inactive coolin...

As part of reducing energy use for building application like cooling and heating, the phase change material (PCM) plays a vital role, it be incorporated into building structure and materials in an effective manner. In this research concentrated to find the effect of heat transfer of PCM filled hollow block (wall) and unfilled one, tested in a natur...

In the present study, effect of ZrC vol.% on mechanical properties of AA6061 metal matrix composites (MMCs) produced via stir casting technique was investigated. The vol.% of ZrC particles was varied as 5,10 and 15. The composites were characterized for its microstructure and mechanical properties and their relationships were obtained. The scanning...

The present study aims at developing light weight polymer composite spur gear and improving the performance. Various types of reinforcements and fillers have been used in the polymer gears in order to enhance the performance. There is some evidence in the literature that the metal foamsexhibit significant mechanical properties. The idea here is to...

The structural vibration in conventional machine tools which are generally made of cast iron may lead to poor surface finish of the machined components. This has led to the investigations on alternative materials for machine tool structures such as concrete, polymer concrete and epoxy granite which have higher damping properties but lesser Young's...

In this present work, material properties (Young’s modulus and thermal conductivity) of Silicon Carbide (SiC) particle-reinforced Aluminium 1100 (Al) matrix composite have been evaluated using Representative Volume Element (RVE) technique. A three-dimensional RVE model is generated by finite element-based homogenization method for Al–SiC composite....

A co-continuous ceramic composite (C4) was manufactured by gravity infiltration. The effect of varying machining parameters namely, speed, feed and depth of cut during end milling of C4, on the multi-responses of surface roughness, tool wear and depth of cut was investigated using response surface methodology. Non-linear regression models were gene...

The prediction of Effective Thermal Conductivity (ETC) of two phase porous materials is becoming more important to evaluate its suitability in various engineering applications. This article has aimed to develop the geometry dependent resistance models using Hexagon and Octagon by considering the effects of contact resistance, conductivity ratio, co...

Use of natural fiber as reinforcement is a burgeoning field of research because of the ease of procuring raw materials, bio-degradable and environment friendly nature along with mechanical properties of the resulting composites that are comparable to synthetic fiber-reinforced composites. Areca owing to these very reasons along with low cost, light...

Soil-to-air heat exchanger concept is one of the efficient methods to reduce the cooling effort required for any air conditioning system. In this paper, a theoretical model of soil-to-air heat exchanger has been developed to predict the air temperature in the outlet of the system during a hot atmospheric condition. This theoretical model is used to...

Numerous biomaterials are used to fabricate bone scaffolds to repair the bones subjected to trauma. The scaffolds are fabricated with interconnected pores with 40-70% porosity to facilitate the entry of the cells that ensures rapid bone formation. In addition, the interconnected pores also serve as a channel for the exchange of nutrients and waste...

3D Printing technology has been extensity used to fabricate engineering components within a short span of time in small scale. The quality of parts being produced using 3D printing depends on the build parameters. This paper presents a study on the mechanical behaviour of 3D printed structures under the influence of build parameters such as build o...

Most of the thermal design systems involve two phase materials and analysis of such systems requires detailed understanding of the thermal characteristics of the two phase material. This article aimed to develop geometry dependent unit cell approach model by considering the effects of all primary parameters (conductivity ratio and concentration) an...

Structural integrity isstated as the science and technology of margin between safety and disaster. Systematic prediction of structural integrity of critical structures such ascombustion chambers, pressure vessels, nuclear reactor components, boilers etc., ensures the human safety, environmental protection, and the economical considerations. The pre...

Objective: To study the suitability of the developed polyamide/hydroxyapatite (PA/HA) composite orthopaedic scaffold in vitro and in vivo. Methods: The fabricated scaffolds were seeded with human osteoblast-like cell line (MG 63) and tested for its viability & cytotoxicity, proliferation and calcium mineralization through MTT assay, ALP assay and A...

This paper describes the relationships between the macrostructural characteristics of weld beads and the welding parameters in Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) using a flat wire electrode. Bead-on-plate welds were produced with a flat wire electrode and different combinations of input parameters (i.e., welding current, welding speed, and flat wire elec...

In this work, metallic titanium film was deposited on graded alloy of AA7075 for different deposition time of 180, 300, 420 and 900 seconds at substrate temperature from 100°C - 400°C using DC magnetron sputtering method. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the coated Ti thin films are analyzed. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) image...

This paper proposes a flat wire electrode technique in the flux cored arc welding (FCAW) process. E70T1 electrode was selected for the study. Flat shaped electrode can improve the quality of weld, in terms of mechanical properties. It also enhances the heat input and penetration. For this approach, experiments are carried out with varying size of f...

This work investigates the influence of titanium thin films on the mechanical properties of AA 2024 substrates. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) measurements confirm that the surface morphology of Ti thin film depends on controlled deposition rate and the energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) result reveals the uniform dispersion of Ti coating over t...

Both medical and engineering sciences play a vital role in human health diagnose and treatment. In this scientific world, the technology of alternative bone scaffold is one of the remedial sources for bone loss treatment. This research paper focuses on the design and analysis of porous scaffold made of additive manufacturing process. Various types...

Welding is one of the important processes for the manufacture of a wide variety of products. Most of the manufactured products have to be produced by welding due to its greater productivity and economical viability. Still quality has to be enhanced in the products. To attain the perfect quality in weld a new attempt has been tried out while existin...

This paper reports the effect of thickness on the properties of titanium (Ti) films deposited on the AA1100 substrate using the DC magnetron sputtering technique. The structural and morphological characterization of Ti films was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The XRD p...

In this paper, an attempt has been made to enhance the macrostructure characteristics such as deposition rate, weld thickness, penetration area, and hardness by using a flat wire electrode and by optimizing the welding parameters. For this, an experimental study has been made. The welding parameters such as the welding current I, welding speed WS,...

This paper reports characterization and evaluation of the mechanical properties of a titanium (Ti) film deposited on AA6061 substrate using the DC magnetron sputtering technique. The surface morphology of the Ti film was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of metallic Ti was confirmed by energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) a...

The objective of the work is to predict the structural integrity of the roof slab of 500 MWe sodium cooled fast reactor (SFR) under static loading conditions. The roof slab is an annular box type structure consisting of top and bottom plates with connecting stiffeners and has been designed to support various components such as control plug, pumps a...

Any structural model must be designed, loaded and interpreted according to a set of similitude requirements that relates the model(scaled down) to the prototype(original) structure. These similitude requirements which are based upon the theory of modeling can be derived from the dimensional analysis. In the present study, an attempt has been made t...

Scaled down models are widely used for experimental investigations on huge structures due to the limitation in the capacities of testing facilities, and, moreover, the experimentation on scaled models is less expensive. Also small scale models are often built with materials dissimilar to those of the prototype. However, only few studies have been c...

Current engineering analyses rely on running expensive and complex computer codes. Statistical techniques are widely used in engineering design to construct approximate models of these costly analysis codes. These models referred as metamodels, are then used in place of the actual analysis codes to reduce the computational burden of engineering ana...

Current engineering analyses rely on running expensive and complex computer codes. Statistical techniques are widely used in engineering design to construct approximate models of these costly analysis codes. These models referred as metamodels, are then used in place of the actual analysis codes to reduce the computational burden of engineering ana...