Printess: an open-source, low-cost bio-3D printer designed for high-throughput multi-material DIW.
Introduction:In the emerging fields of biomanufacturing and soft materials engineering, direct ink writing (DIW) is gaining increasing attention as a versatile and scalable 3D printing method. It can handle inks of different viscosities and chemical compositions, covering various applications such as biological tissue printing, soft robotics, electronic materials and structural metamaterials.
However, most commercial DIW printing platforms are expensive (often ranging from ten thousand to several hundred thousand dollars) and the software and hardware ecosystems are typically closed, making secondary development or in-depth customization difficult. for university research. Additionally, current open source bioprinters are often simple modifications of commercial equipment such as existing plastic 3D printers, which are still expensive and have limited plasticity.
To promote wider application and innovation,Stanford University research teamStarting from a bottom-up approach, we have developed a“Printer”3D printing platform: open source hardware, assembly cost is only about$250can support a variety of printing modes and materials, opening a new situation for rapid and flexible bioprinting and bioprinting.
Printess is an open source DIW (Direct Ink Writing) platform that is compact, lightweight and easy to assemble. It consists of six linear actuators, a microcontroller, two syringe pump extruders and inexpensive 3D printed and laser cut parts. The platform has motion accuracy of up to 10 microns and supports a variety of advanced DIW technologies, such as multi-material gradient printing, integrated printing and active mixing processes.
Printess offers greater flexibility than commercial alternatives, allowing users to customize build volumes, printheads and hardware capabilities to meet different needs. The system uses the RepRap RUMBA+ control panel with a modified version of Marlin firmware, compatible with popular cutting software. The modular design allows it to be assembled in one hour and has a build volume of 80 × 80 × 80 mm, optimized for small, high-precision prints. Here is a detailed description of its multi-mode printing capabilities:
1. Active hybrid printing
With an integrated rotating turbine, Printess enables active hybrid printing. This mode can adjust the material ratio in real time during the printing process to generate gradient materials or Janus filaments, suitable for developing multifunctional materials. By mixing two strands of bioink in the same printing filament in real time, multi-phase tissues containing different dyes or cell types can be printed.
2. Multi-nozzle printing
Equipped with a multi-nozzle (MM3D) print head, it greatly improves the efficiency of parallel printing and supports the rapid switching of different materials in the filament. With the 8 or 32 nozzle split design, rapid switching of multiple materials and high-throughput parallel printing can be achieved. Examples of printing include stretchable structures that mix hard and soft silicone. During tensile testing, the structure exhibited tunable Poisson’s ratio and tensile properties, demonstrating its potential in metamaterial design.
3. Integrated printing
Printess supports the construction of complex soft structures in self-healing fluid media, easily meeting the needs for printing complex geometries and flexible materials. She has successfully printed complex 3D structures, such as the Stanford Rabbit model, in self-healing media such as Carbopol, and achieved printing of functional parts such as heart valves.
Additionally, the Printess platform features a highly flexible modular design that can quickly adapt to various experimental needs. With flexible interfaces such as snap-on syringe holders and customizable print beds, users can quickly swap components and optimize print setups.
The total cost of the Printess printer is about 250 US dollars (or about 1,800 yuan). All mechanical, electrical and software designs are open source, and users can freely modify, share and innovate. Design files, assembly instructions and firmware are published on GitHub and can be downloaded for free at the following link:
Using Printess, a bottom-up 3D printing platform, researchers successfully implemented a low-cost, multi-material, multi-mode direct ink writing method, providing a new open ecosystem for bioprinting and the development of flexible materials. This will enable more researchers, educational institutions and even individuals to afford bio-3D printers, accelerating the application and innovation of the technology in a wider range of fields.
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