A dual nozzle 3D printing system for super soft composite hydrogels
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Due to their inability to sustain their own weight, 3D printing materials as soft as human tissues is challenging. Hereby we describe the development of an extrusion additive manufacturing (AM) machine able to 3D print super soft hydrogels with micro-scale precision. By designing and integrating new subsystems into a conventional extrusion-based 3D printer, we obtained hardware that encompasses a range of new capabilities. In particular, we integrated a heated dual nozzle extrusion system and a cooling platform in the new system. In addition, we altered the electronics and software of the 3D printer to ensure fully automatized procedures are delivered by the 3D printing device, and super-soft tissue mimicking parts are produced. With regards to the electronics, we added new devices to control the temperature of the extrusion system. As for the software, the firmware of the conventional 3D printer was changed and modified to allow for the flow rate control of the ink, thus eliminating overflows in sections of the printing path where the direction/speed changes sharply.
Date Issued
2021-04-01
Date Acceptance
2021-01-28
Citation
HardwareX, 2021, 9
ISSN
2468-0672
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal / Book Title
HardwareX
Volume
9
Copyright Statement
© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BYlicense (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
License URL
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Commission of the European Communities
Grant Number
METB_P76498
EP/N025954/1
688279
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN e00176
Date Publish Online
2021-02-02