Objet Eden350V 3D printing system allows us to use rapid prototyping technologies to produce scaffolds with reproducible, high resolution

features.

Chua Chee Kai

Associate Professor, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University

Case Study
At a Glance
Company: School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University URL: http://www.ntu.edu.sg Location: Singapore Industry: Research and education

Objet 3D Printer Helps Engineering Department Fabricate Minuscule Tissue Scaffolds

The precise science of tissue engineering requires the ability to produce fabricated extracellular matrices or scaffolds with reproducible, high-resolution features. However, most conventional scaffold fabrication methods can only produce scaffolds in bulk form with random porous structures. Seeking a more precise and controllable solution that would be effective for their advanced applications, researchers at Nanyang Technological Universitys School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, looked for a suitably priced high-resolution rapid prototyping technology. Their goal: to find a solution that would enable them to fabricate molds for scaffolds with channels so tiny they could be measured in sub-microns. After considering several options, Objet Eden350V 3D printing system was selected, as it proved to be a cost-effective solution that provided the highest degree of resolution with a wide range of materials. The specific nature and properties of Objets FullCure proprietary materials required adoption of an indirect approach to scaffold fabrication. Using the Objet 3D printer, the department is able to create dissolvable molds consisting of intricate channel configurations that represent the negative replica of the entire scaffold architecture. The scaffold material is cast into the mold, and upon dissolution, the mold is removed, leaving behind an interconnected 3D network of channels within the scaffold.

Challenges
Produce extracellular scaffolds with reproducible, high resolution features for tissue engineering applications Implement a rapid prototyping system within tight budget limitations

Solution
Objet Eden350V 3D Printing System

Results
Cost-effective production of intricate sacrificial molds Extracellular scaffolds with complex configurations of channels with micron-sized dimensions, can be accurately fabricated Enables fabrication of varied parts that require high accuracy and high resolution

High precision enables innovative fabrication technique

Objet Eden350V system provided the research team with the ability to successfully fabricate the desired sacrificial mold. Using proprietary materials, the team was able to use its innovative indirect fabrication technique to create scaffolds with complex channel configurations. The Objet solutions ultra-thin-layer, high-resolution 3D printing capabilities made it possible to produce model parts with diameters as small as 1mm (0.039), with the high degree of accuracy required for tissue engineering.

We investigated many rapid prototyping technologies and found that Objets PolyJet technology best meets our stringent requirements for precision and scale, said Tan Jiayong, PhD student, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University. Once we had established the best technology, we then had to consider our research budget, and Objet Eden350V printing system proved the best fit on quality and cost.

Quicker development cycle

Another important factor in the selection of the Objet Eden350V 3D printer was speed. The costefficient system enables quick realization of 3D molds within the framework of the departments research, with early detection and removal of potential defects ensuring cost savings and drastically faster development and production cycles. Says Chua Chee Kai, Associate Professor, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University:

The Objet Eden350V provided us with a printing system that met all of our requirements, allowing us to fabricate high quality scaffolds in a cost-efficient manner.
The most significant advantage for us of the Objet Eden350V 3D printing system is the extremely high detail resolution, enabling the fabrication of accurate, complex 3D scaffolds, says Tan Jiayong, PhD student, School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University.

AbOUT ObJET GEOMETRIES

Objet Geometries Ltd., the innovation leader in 3D printing for rapid prototyping and additive manufacturing, provides 3D printing systems that enable manufacturers and industrial designers to reduce cost of product development and dramatically shorten time-to-market of new products. Objets ultra-thin-layer, high-resolution 3D printing systems and materials utilize PolyJet polymer jetting technology, to print ultra-thin 16-micron layers. The market-proven Objet Eden line of 3D Printing Systems and the Objet24 and Objet30 Desktop 3D printers are based on Objets patented office-friendly PolyJet Technology. The Objet Connex family is based on Objets PolyJet Matrix Technology, which jets multiple model materials simultaneously and creates composite Digital Materials on the fly. All Objet systems use Objets FullCure materials to create accurate, clean, smooth, and highly detailed 3D parts. Objet systems are in use by world leaders in many industries, such as Education, Medical / Medical Devices & Dental, Consumer Electronics, Automotive, toys, consumer goods, and footwear industries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, and Japan. Founded in 1998, Objet serves its growing worldwide customer base through offices in USA, Mexico, Europe, Japan, China and Hong Kong, and a global network of distribution partners. Objet owns more than 50 patents and patent pending inventions. For more information, visit us at www.objet.com.

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