3D printing 3D printing (3DP), also known as additive manufacturing (AM), solid-freeform (SFF) and rapid prototyping (RP), is a fabrication technique using model data, where 3D structures are fabricated using controlled layer-by-layer deposition. It was first described by Charles Hull in 1986 followed by production and commercialization by S. Scott Crump and his company Stratasys. The basic principles of 3D printing are namely stereolithography, fused deposition modelling, selective laser melting, electronic beam melting and laminated object manufacturing. 3D printing involves scaffold construction by material addition with high geometric precision reducing material waste. The primary procedure comprises data acquisition and synthesis of meshed 3D computer models in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) followed by Surface Tessellation Language (STL) file creation. This is followed by the slicing of mesh data into multiple 2D layers files. They are transferred to a 3DP machine for fabrication. Major categories of 3DP include laser-based printing, extrusion printing, droplet-based printing and stereolithography. Manufacture of complex designs, low cost, ease of access, rapid and environmentally friendly procedure are some of the advantages of 3D printing in industrial, research, healthcare and biomedical sectors.

BMTE members have extensively experimented with 3D printing technology w.r.t. ceramics, metal powders, polymers and proteins. Lab members had developed high-fidelity 3D printed scaffolds using titanium which retained its precision following sintering. Ceramic-based (alumina) porous scaffolds have also been fabricated

  • Current projects involve alginate-based printing to enhance wound healing
  • Bioglass-based bioink has been developed to fabricate scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
  • Gelatin bioinks and hydroxyapatite bioinks have been used to print tissue engineering
    scaffolds.
  • Lightweight porous scaffolds have been fabricated using cellulose-based bioinks.
  • Gelatin methacrylate-based scaffolds are being developed using layer-by-layer
    photocrosslinking.

 

BMTE wishes to expand the scope of 3D printing technology in our lab by exploring innovative bioinks and complex structures with various methods of crosslinking in addition to live cell printing.