Trigo Torres Ramses Seferino, Kulinsky Lawrence, Kheradvar Arash
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
Micromachines (Basel). 2025 Apr 26;16(5):505. doi: 10.3390/mi16050505.
Over the past two decades, additive manufacturing has advanced significantly, enabling rapid fabrication of functional components across various applications. In medical devices, it has been used for prototyping, prosthetics, drug delivery platforms, and more recently, tissue scaffolding. However, current technologies face challenges, particularly in depositing conformal layers over curved surfaces. This study introduces a novel multi-nozzle extrusion printer concept designed to deposit soft gel layers onto curved surfaces. A custom clearance locking mechanism enhances the printer's ability to achieve conformal coatings on both flat and curved substrates. We investigate key deposition parameters, including displacement volume and nozzle configuration, while comparing two deposition sequences: "Press and Express" and "Express and Press". Our results demonstrate that the "Express and Press" technique yields more uniform, merged conformal layers than the "Press and Express" method. This technology holds promise for further refinement and potential applications in tissue engineering.
在过去二十年中，增材制造取得了显著进展，能够在各种应用中快速制造功能部件。在医疗设备领域，它已被用于原型制作、假肢、药物输送平台，以及最近的组织支架。然而，当前技术面临挑战，尤其是在曲面上沉积保形层方面。本研究介绍了一种新型多喷嘴挤出打印机概念，旨在将软凝胶层沉积到曲面上。一种定制的间隙锁定机制增强了打印机在平面和曲面基板上实现保形涂层的能力。我们研究了关键的沉积参数，包括排量和喷嘴配置，同时比较了两种沉积顺序：“按压并挤出”和“挤出并按压”。我们的结果表明，与“按压并挤出”方法相比，“挤出并按压”技术能产生更均匀、融合更好的保形层。这项技术有望进一步改进并在组织工程中得到潜在应用。
