scholarly journals 3D printed microfluidics for biological applications

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (18) ◽  
pp. 3627-3637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chee Meng Benjamin Ho ◽  
Sum Huan Ng ◽  
King Ho Holden Li ◽  
Yong-Jin Yoon
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Biological Applications ◽  
The Future ◽  
3D Printed

In this paper, a review is carried out of how 3D printing helps to improve the fabrication of microfluidic devices, the 3D printing technologies currently used for fabrication and the future of 3D printing in the field of microfluidics.

scholarly journals 3D Printed Microfluidics

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna V. Nielsen ◽  
Michael J. Beauchamp ◽  
Gregory P. Nordin ◽  
Adam T. Woolley
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Fabrication Method ◽  
Size Scale ◽  
Additional Work ◽  
Fluidic Devices ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Microfabrication Techniques

Traditional microfabrication techniques suffer from several disadvantages, including the inability to create truly three-dimensional (3D) architectures, expensive and time-consuming processes when changing device designs, and difficulty in transitioning from prototyping fabrication to bulk manufacturing. 3D printing is an emerging technique that could overcome these disadvantages. While most 3D printed fluidic devices and features to date have been on the millifluidic size scale, some truly microfluidic devices have been shown. Currently, stereolithography is the most promising approach for routine creation of microfluidic structures, but several approaches under development also have potential. Microfluidic 3D printing is still in an early stage, similar to where polydimethylsiloxane was two decades ago. With additional work to advance printer hardware and software control, expand and improve resin and printing material selections, and realize additional applications for 3D printed devices, we foresee 3D printing becoming the dominant microfluidic fabrication method.

scholarly journals A review of 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1345-1361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yee Ling Yap ◽  
Swee Leong Sing ◽  
Wai Yee Yeong
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
The Future ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Multiple Materials ◽  
Printing Processes ◽  
Printing Techniques

Purpose Soft robotics is currently a rapidly growing new field of robotics whereby the robots are fundamentally soft and elastically deformable. Fabrication of soft robots is currently challenging and highly time- and labor-intensive. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing of soft materials and multi-materials have become the key to enable direct manufacturing of soft robots with sophisticated designs and functions. Hence, this paper aims to review the current 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics applications, as well as the potentials of 3D printing technologies on 3D printed soft robotics. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the polymer 3D printing techniques and materials that have been used for the development of soft robotics. Current challenges to adopting 3D printing for soft robotics are also discussed. Next, the potentials of 3D printing technologies and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are presented. Findings This paper reviews five different 3D printing techniques and commonly used materials. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique for the soft robotic application are evaluated. The typical designs and geometries used by each technique are also summarized. There is an increasing trend of printing shape memory polymers, as well as multiple materials simultaneously using direct ink writing and material jetting techniques to produce robotics with varying stiffness values that range from intrinsically soft and highly compliant to rigid polymers. Although the recent work is done is still limited to experimentation and prototyping of 3D printed soft robotics, additive manufacturing could ultimately be used for the end-use and production of soft robotics. Originality/value The paper provides the current trend of how 3D printing techniques and materials are used particularly in the soft robotics application. The potentials of 3D printing technology on the soft robotic applications and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are also presented.

scholarly journals Design and characterization of a 3D-printed staggered herringbone mixer

BioTechniques ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vedika J Shenoy ◽  
Chelsea ER Edwards ◽  
Matthew E Helgeson ◽  
Megan T Valentine
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Device Design ◽  
Replica Molding ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
And Performance ◽  
To Receive

3D printing holds potential as a faster, cheaper alternative compared with traditional photolithography for the fabrication of microfluidic devices by replica molding. However, the influence of printing resolution and quality on device design and performance has yet to receive detailed study. Here, we investigate the use of 3D-printed molds to create staggered herringbone mixers (SHMs) with feature sizes ranging from ∼100 to 500 μm. We provide guidelines for printer calibration to ensure accurate printing at these length scales and quantify the impacts of print variability on SHM performance. We show that SHMs produced by 3D printing generate well-mixed output streams across devices with variable heights and defects, demonstrating that 3D printing is suitable and advantageous for low-cost, high-throughput SHM manufacturing.

Facilitating Fluid Flow Through Carbon Nanotube Arrays Using 3D Printing

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis S. Emery ◽  
Anna Jensen ◽  
Koby Kubrin ◽  
Michael G. Schrlau
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Microfluidic Device ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Nanotube Arrays ◽  
Nanotube Array ◽  
Cnt Arrays ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Flow Through

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a novel technology whose versatility allows it to be implemented in a multitude of applications. Common fabrication techniques implemented to create microfluidic devices, such as photolithography, wet etching, etc., can often times be time consuming, costly, and make it difficult to integrate external components. 3D printing provides a quick and low-cost technique that can be used to fabricate microfluidic devices in a range of intricate geometries. External components, such as nanoporous membranes, can additionally be easily integrated with minimal impact to the component. Here in, low-cost 3D printing has been implemented to create a microfluidic device to enhance understanding of flow through carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays manufactured for gene transfection applications. CNTs are an essential component of nanofluidic research due to their unique mechanical and physical properties. CNT arrays allow for parallel processing however, they are difficult to construct and highly prone to fracture. As a means of aiding in the nanotube arrays’ resilience to fracture and facilitating its integration into fluidic systems, a 3D printed microfluidic device has been constructed around these arrays. Doing so greatly enhances the robustness of the system and additionally allows for the nanotube array to be implemented for a variety of purposes. To broaden their range of application, the devices were designed to allow for multiple isolated inlet flows to the arrays. Utilizing this multiple inlet design permits distinct fluids to enter the array disjointedly. These 3D printed devices were in turn implemented to visualize flow through nanotube arrays. The focus of this report though, is on the design and fabrication of the 3D printed devices. SEM imaging of the completed device shows that the nanotube array remains intact after the printing process and the nanotubes, even those within close proximity to the printing material, remain unobstructed. Printing on top of the nanotube arrays displayed effective adhesion to the surface thus preventing leakage at these interfaces.

scholarly journals 3D-printing of transparent bio-microfluidic devices in PEG-DA

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. 2287-2294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo Urrios ◽  
Cesar Parra-Cabrera ◽  
Nirveek Bhattacharjee ◽  
Alan M. Gonzalez-Suarez ◽  
Luis G. Rigat-Brugarolas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
3D Printed

The 3D-printed devices are highly transparent and cells can be cultured on PEG-DA-250 prints for several days.

scholarly journals Fossils from the Future

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Salter
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
3D Modelling ◽  
Design Criterion ◽  
General Audience ◽  
Spatial Understanding ◽  
Research Through Design ◽  
Physical Medium ◽  
The Future ◽  
3D Printed

<p>The future surrounding our world is unknown and difficult to foresee. There is a desire to communicate the innumerable amount of data produced from advanced scientific research about our present and predicted world into mediums that are comprehensible to the general audience. </p> <p>This research explores the opportunity for data to be translated into an easily interpretable visual and physical medium. By using a procedural system, this allows for an undetermined number of outcomes to be explored efficiently, including those which are initially unknown or cannot be perceived. This is in contrast to traditional 3D modelling software, where the designer must fully control and manipulate the finer details of a model. </p> <p>In this research portfolio, a Research Through Design methodology is utilised to enable practical experimentation based on a design criterion, incrementally developed alongside the progression of the experiments. Through screen-based visualisations, the possible products of a procedural system are presented as a morphological timeline¹. The designer’s implementation and influence of this procedural system guide the direction of this timeline through parameter manipulation, without having a precise vision for the output. </p> <p>Through extracting models at desired points along the morphological timeline and applying a voxel-based 3D printing approach on the Stratasys J 750 to encapsulate them in resin (VeroClear), the models are introduced into the tangible dimension. This translates the screen-based model into a physical fossil to communicate information through a tangible medium. These fossils intend to elicit discussion around production of artefacts that are not yet known or cannot be perceived. Acting as a viewpoint, the procedural system may visually anticipate these products before privileging the physical. Hence the 3D printed object is provided as a new spatial understanding to communicate information. </p> ¹ Morphological Timeline: A frame based timeline within the software Houdini that visually simulates the possible variations in form.

scholarly journals 3D Printing for Drug Manufacturing: A Perspective on the Future of Pharmaceuticals

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Lepowsky ◽  
Savas Tasoglu
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Fused Deposition Modeling ◽  
Selective Laser Sintering ◽  
Drug Carriers ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Drug Products ◽  
Fused Deposition ◽  
The Future ◽  
Drug Manufacturing ◽  
3D Printed

Since a three-dimensional (3D) printed drug was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2015, there has been a growing interest in 3D printing for drug manufacturing. There are multiple 3D printing methods – including selective laser sintering, binder deposition, stereolithography, inkjet printing, extrusion-based printing, and fused deposition modeling – which are compatible with printing drug products, in addition to both polymer filaments and hydrogels as materials for drug carriers. We see the adaptability of 3D printing as a revolutionary force in the pharmaceutical industry. Release characteristics of drugs may be controlled by complex 3D printed geometries and architectures. Precise and unique doses can be engineered and fabricated via 3D printing according to individual prescriptions. On-demand printing of drug products can be implemented for drugs with limited shelf life or for patient-specific medications, offering an alternative to traditional compounding pharmacies. For these reasons, 3D printing for drug manufacturing is the future of pharmaceuticals, making personalized medicine possible while also transforming pharmacies.

scholarly journals Microfluidic devices manufacturing combining stereolithography and pulsed laser ablation

2021 ◽  
Vol 255 ◽  
pp. 12009
Author(s):  
Bastián Carnero ◽  
Carmen Bao-Varela ◽  
Ana Isabel Gómez-Varela ◽  
María Teresa Flores-Arias
Keyword(s):  
Laser Ablation ◽  
3D Printing ◽  
Pulsed Laser ◽  
Pulsed Laser Ablation ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Hybrid Technique ◽  
Detailed Surface ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
The One ◽  
User Friendly

3D printing has revolutionized the field of microfluidics manufacturing by simplifying the typical processes offering a considerable accuracy and user-friendly procedures. For its part, laser ablation proves to be a versatile technology to perform detailed surface micropatterning. A hybrid technique that combines both technologies is proposed, employing them in their most suitable range of dimensions. This technique allows to manufacture accurate microfluidics devices as the one proposed: a microchannel, obtained using a stereolithographic printer, coupled with an array of microlenses, obtained by pulsed laser ablation of a 3D printed master.

scholarly journals Fluctuating Intelligence. Bioinspired 3D Printed Design on Textile

2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (74) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriele Pontillo ◽  
Carla Langella
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Design Thinking ◽  
Additive Technologies ◽  
Production Methods ◽  
Direct Printing ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Frontier ◽  
The Future ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
The Relationship

"Since its appearance in the world of design, 3D printing has been acclaimed as a new opportunity to free design thinking from the constraints imposed by traditional production processes. Over the past decade, additive systems have been applied in a variety of cultural and production contexts, crossing the boundaries of industry and beyond the semi-artisan dimension that has long characterized them. If 3D printing is now recognized as one of the production methods of the future, it is necessary to question the next prospects and especially the future of the relationship between design and additive technologies. This paper intends to propose the scenario of the use of additive technologies of direct printing on fabrics as a new frontier of design and production that allows the development of changeable, flexible and composite artifacts increasingly related to the multi-functionality of nature and the human body and increasingly adaptable to the complexity of the needs of contemporary living."

scholarly journals 3D-Printed Microfluidics and Potential Biomedical Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Prabhakar ◽  
Raj Kumar Sen ◽  
Neeraj Dwivedi ◽  
Raju Khan ◽  
Pratima R. Solanki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
3D Printing ◽  
Biomedical Applications ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Microfluidic Chips ◽  
3D Printers ◽  
Broad Variety ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Diagnostic Technologies ◽  
Printing Techniques

3D printing is a smart additive manufacturing technique that allows the engineering of biomedical devices that are usually difficult to design using conventional methodologies such as machining or molding. Nowadays, 3D-printed microfluidics has gained enormous attention due to their various advantages including fast production, cost-effectiveness, and accurate designing of a range of products even geometrically complex devices. In this review, we focused on the recent significant findings in the field of 3D-printed microfluidic devices for biomedical applications. 3D printers are used as fabrication tools for a broad variety of systems for a range of applications like diagnostic microfluidic chips to detect different analytes, for example, glucose, lactate, and glutamate and the biomarkers related to different clinically relevant diseases, for example, malaria, prostate cancer, and breast cancer. 3D printers can print various materials (inorganic and polymers) with varying density, strength, and chemical properties that provide users with a broad variety of strategic options. In this article, we have discussed potential 3D printing techniques for the fabrication of microfluidic devices that are suitable for biomedical applications. Emerging diagnostic technologies using 3D printing as a method for integrating living cells or biomaterials into 3D printing are also reviewed.

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