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Aalto University Develops a Novel Bioink for Cardiac Tissue Applications

Finland is one of Europe’s most forested nations. Over 70 percent of the country’s boreal forest is covered with spruce, pine, downy birch, and silver birch. But beyond the splendor of the Finnish woodlands, all these trees have one thing in common, and that is nanocellulose. A light solid substance obtained from plant matter which comprises cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) and is considered a pseudo-plastic that possesses the property of specific kinds of gels that are generally thick in normal conditions. Overall, it is a very environmentally friendly and non-toxic substance that is compatible with the human body and has the potential to be used for a range of medical applications.

In 2018, the Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems at Aalto University, located just outside Helsinki, began searching for new ideas to revitalize one of the country’s traditional economic engines, forests (which are handled sustainably thanks to renewable forest resources). At the time, they noticed that one of the possible applications could be working with nanocellulose. Forward two years and the researchers have come up with a new bioink formulation praising nanocellulose at its basis.

Thanks to the structural similarity to extracellular matrices and excellent biocompatibility of supporting crucial cellular activities, nanocellulose-based bioprinting has clearly emerged for its potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The qualities of the generally thick and fluid light substance make it an excellent match to develop bioinks that are both suitable and scalable in their production, but also have consistent properties. However, there have been major challenges in processing nanocellulose.

As described by Aalto University researchers in a recently published paper in the science journal ACS Publication, the unresolved challenges of bioink formulations based on nanocelluloses are what stops the substance from becoming one of the preferred components for 3D bioprinting structures. This is why Finnish researchers focused on developing a single-component bioink that could be used to create scaffolds with potential applications in cardiac biomedical devices, while fundamentally dealing with some of the limitations of using nanocellulose-based bioinks.

A co-author of the paper and a doctoral candidate at Aalto’s Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, Rubina Ajdary, told 3DPrint.com that “other than natural abundance and as a renewable resource, nanocellulose has demonstrated to have an outstanding performance in tissue engineering.” She also suggested that “recent efforts usually consider the use of nanocellulose in combination with other biopolymers, for example, in multicomponent ink formulations or to encapsulate nanoparticles. But we were interested in investigating the potential of monocomponent nanocellulose 3D printed scaffolds that did not require crosslinking to develop the strength or solidity.”

In fact, the Biobased Colloids and Materials (BiCMat) research group at Aalto University, led by Orlando Rojas, proposed heterogeneous acetylation of wood fibers to ease their deconstruction into acetylated nanocellulose (AceCNF). As a unique biomaterial opportunity in 3D scaffold applications, the team considered using nanocelluloses due to the natural, easy to sterilize, and high stability porosity of the substance, and chose to introduce AceCNF for the generation of 3D printed scaffolds for implantation in the human body. The team then went on to evaluate the interactions of the scaffolds with cardiac myoblast cells.
“Most modifications make the hydrogels susceptible to dimensional instability after 3D printing, for instance, upon drying or wetting. This is exacerbated if the inks are highly diluted, which is typical of nanocellulose suspensions, forming gels at low concentrations,” went on Ajdary. “This instability is one of the main reasons why nanocellulose is mainly combined with other compounds. Instead, in this research, we propose heterogeneous acetylation of wood fibers to ease their deconstruction into acetylated nanocellulose for direct ink writing. A higher surface charge of acetylated nanocellulose, compared to native nanocellulose, reduces aggregation and favors the retention of the structure after extrusion even in significantly less concentration.”
This is exactly why it was important for the researches to develop a single component bioink. Nanocellulose has shown promises when combined with other biopolymers and particles. However, Ajdary insists that benefits including similarity to the extracellular matrix, high porosity, high swelling capacity, ease of surface modification, and shear thinning behavior of cellulose, encouraged them to study the potential of monocomponent surface-modified nanocelluloses.

Acetylated nanocellulose (Credit: Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering)

The team at Aalto University used the sustainable and widely available nanocelluloses to make several formulations of bioinks and evaluate them, including unmodified nanocellulose CNF, Acetylated CNF (AceCNF), and TEMPO-oxidized CNF.
To 3D bioprint the hydrogels, researchers used Cellink bioprinters, something Ajdary attributed to the user-friendliness of the device and because it provided a lot of flexibility to test different types of hydrogels and emulsions produced in the research group.
In this new process, the single-component nanocellulose inks were first 3D printed into scaffolds using Cellink’s BIO X bioprinter, which is equipped with a pneumatic print head was used to extrude single filaments and form the 3D structures. Then freeze-dried to avoid extensive shrinkage, and sterilized under UV light. After sterilization the scaffold was ready and cells seeded on the samples.
“3D structures of acetylated nanocellulose are highly stable after extrusion in far less concentrations. The lower concentration in wet condition facilitates the scaffold with higher porosity after dehydration which can improve the cell penetration in the structure and assist in nutrient transport to the cells as well as in the transport of metabolic waste,” specified Ajdary.
The researchers claim that the method was successful as the 3D printed scaffolds were compatible with the cardiomyoblast cells, enabling their proliferation and attachment, and revealing that the constructs are not toxic. Although still in research stages, these bioinks and technique can be used for the inexpensive, consistent fabrication and storage of constructs that can be applied as base materials for cardiac regeneration.
What is novel in this study is the particular focus on single-component nanocellulose-based bioinks that open up a possibility for the reliable and scale-up fabrication of scaffolds appropriate for studies on cellular processes and for tissue engineering. Since this is an ongoing research, we can expect to read more published material from Aalto University researchers as they continue testing their unique technique even further.

Scaffolds corresponding to 3D printed AceCNF (Credit: Aalto University)

The post Aalto University Develops a Novel Bioink for Cardiac Tissue Applications appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

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Biodiscoveries: CELLINK is bioprinting its way into the future

Back in 2015, Erik Gatenholm realized there was no place to purchase bioink for 3D bioprinting. So, blown away by this gap in the market, he quickly worked with co-founder Hector Martinez to create a universal bioink that anyone working with bioprinting could use. It was quite a high stakes bet, and at the beginning they set up a webshop to see if they got any bites. It only took 24 hours for the first sale. With more orders quickly coming in, they realized the enormous potential of the product they developed, and CELLINK was born, becoming the first company to commercialize a universal bioink for bioprinting of human tissues and organs.

CELLINK co-founders Erik Gatenholm and Hector Martinez

In the United States alone, every 10 minutes another person is added to the growing waiting list for organ transplants, most of them (60%) in need of a kidney, and with over 130,000 organs transplanted every year worldwide, is no wonder how demand certainly outweighs supply almost everywhere. In some countries the wait can take years, making 3D printing of organs one of the most sought after technologies out there. Bioprinting in the future could allow patients and doctors to reduce waiting times, increase compatibility and decrease immunological failure. For this to happen medical researchers will need to design organs using modeling software, and then print them with biomaterials such as polymers and hydrogels, in addition to the patient’s own cells. Although currently focused on growing cartilage and skin cells suitable for testing drugs and cosmetics, the Swedish company founded in Gothenburg in 2016, hopes to progress the technology far enough to create replacement organs for transplant in humans in the next 15 years.

“In the coming decade we would like to continue to push the boundaries of 3D bioprinting until it becomes an established technology in the medical field. We have the vision of becoming the first and number one provider of bioprinters, bioinks, software and technical know-how for the next generation of medical device manufacturers,” co-founder and CTO Hector Martinez told 3DPrint.com.

Their unique bioink is a biomaterial innovation that allows human cells to grow and thrive as they would in circumstances close to their natural environment. The startup has already managed to print human skin and is also working on producing liver tissues, as well as the beta cells that produce the insulin we need to survive. In 2018 it began printing tumors to combat cancer as part of a research project that doesn’t endanger human lives, and just a few weeks ago, it teamed up with Volumetric to develop Lumen X, a digital light processing bioprinter, designed to enhance inventions in creating more substantial vascular structures. Skin care products, topological drugs and medical treatments are all in need of enhanced testing procedures that can increase the transability from in vitro testing to in vivo usage of products. With tissue engineering and 3D bioprinting more representative in vitro models can be constructed, limiting the use of testing in animals.

CELLINK’s bioinks

Actually, academic labs and companies worldwide are trying to bioengineer all kinds of sophisticated creations for regenerative medicine, drug testing, screening, and tissue engineering. So it’s no wonder CELLINK has their research team focused on creating the next generation of bioinks. Their top selling product is making bioprinting much easier than it used to be some 10 years ago, with 30 different types of bioink available, with prices that go from 99 to 900 dollars. So, what makes one bioink more expensive than the other? It’s all about the components. Collagen and laminin are more expensive to produce than gelatin, raising the price of the end-product. According to CELLINK, scientists mix their live cells into the company’s bioink, a kind of gel designed to allow cells to survive and multiply. The ink is then loaded into a 3D printer by the customer, which forms the desired shape layer by layer as the gel solidifies. By the time the lights inside CELLINK’s box turn green, researchers have an object that acts like human tissue, and can then apply their drug and see how the living cells inside respond.

CELLINK team printing liver models at the lab

“Today we are taking the necessary steps to build and expand our technology offering and exploring new methods for bioprinting tissues. Such technologies include multiple contact-less dispensing methods and light-based bioprinting techniques that enable the bioprinting of high resolution tissue constructs. Refining such technologies will take a close collaboration with our customers as we define the best practices for bioprinting different tissues and specific functions. We can already anticipate that the integration of different bioprinting technologies with post-bioprinting, real-time monitoring systems will be of utmost importance as the bioprinted tissue matures and attains a specific function through an active and precise manipulation of its environment.” Chief IT Officer Jockum Svanberg explained to 3DPrint.com.

Creating the raw material for bioprinting processes is no easy task. Cellink has been focusing on process-compatible soft biomaterials loaded with living cells to create its bioinks since September 2015. The process of bioprinting requires a delivery medium for cells which can be deposited into designed shapes acquired from computer-aided design (CAD) models, which can be generated using 3D medical images obtained through MRIs or CT scans. Some important features of an ideal bioink material are bioprintability, high mechanical integrity and stability, insolubility in cell culture medium, biodegradability at a rate appropriate to the regenerating tissue, non-toxicity and non-immunogenicity, and the ability to promote cell adhesion. Some bioink types, like hydorgels, are not always suitable as construction materials which is why CELLINK is working on a study to provide an upgraded version of the current CELLINK BONE bioink by incorporating collagen and hydroxyapatite. The bioink currently offered does not get close to the real stiffness of the natural bone tissue, but finely resembles its chemical composition. The advantage of such a soft material is to be able to incorporate cells and, during the bioprinting process, to locate them at a precise position throughout the scaffold. This is still for research use only and might take a few years until it is compatible for human use.

With CELLINK bioinks, 3D bioprinting of tissues will help hasten bone fracture healing

Since its start the technology firm has grown to become one of the big competitors in the industry. CELLINK had only been in existence for ten months before they decided to pursue their IPO in November of 2016, listing on Nasdaq First North after a 1070% oversubscribed IPO, which means that demand for their shares was ten times what they expected. Since then, shares have risen over 400%, giving the company a present-day market cap of around $257 million. CELLINK’s affordable printers have already been bought by customers in 25 countries around the world, mostly universities, like Stanford, Harvard, Yale, Princeton and MIT, and some private customers, including Shiseido, Roche, Merck, Johnson and Johnson, and Toyota

But it’s not just about bioprinting it’s way into the future of medicine, CELLINK is also working with other disruptive technologies, such as machine learning. CELLINK told 3DPrint.com that “they want to empower our users with better tools to simplify the bioprinting learning process and broaden its adoption”. One example of this is by developing algorithms that analyse printed structures and based on the results can recommend printing parameters to the users. Using this tool in the development, has helped them speed up the bioink development process. They have just launched a new product: CELLCYTE X, a live cell imaging microscope with live monitoring and analysis of cells in the cloud. Traditionally cell studies have involved manual labor and relied on analysis of the images from an expert, but using deep learning models they are automating this process to provide better and more reliable analysis to their users. The system relies on the latest in serverless system architecture to provide the most scalable, reliable and most intuitive system on the market.

What do you think, will CELLINK continue its upward trajectory? Will it become superseded by other larger firms or get passed by newer start ups? Find out more through our series of articles exploring bioprinting, Biodiscoveries.

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Colombian Researchers Study Potential for SIS-Based Photocrosslinking in Bioinks

(a) Preparation of the 0.5% (w/v) riboflavin (RF) bioink and (b) its successful extrusion through a 21 G needle. (c) Filament formation during extrusion of the bioink through a 21 G needle. (d) Presumed photo-mediated crosslinking reaction thought to be occurring in the proposed bioinks.

Colombian researchers performed a recent study, outlined in ‘Formulation and Characterization of a SIS-Based Photocrosslinkable Bioink,’ explaining the possible value in crosslinking to create better materials for 3D printing cells. Here, they are using small intestinal submucosa (SIS) with photocrosslinked reactions to manipulate the gelation process, despite some expected challenges.

While the use of natural materials is always preferable, the researchers point out that they can also be difficult to work with due to lack of strength and stability. In the end that leads to inferior printability and further challenge.

“An avenue through which to overcome these issues is to mix them with synthetic polymers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), polylactic acid (PLA), and polycaprolactone (PCL), which have demonstrated their ability to alter the mechanical response upon blending,” state the researchers. “Additionally, they have been proven able to shorten degradation rates, though at the expense of decreasing their biocompatibility.”

The authors also began to study decellularized extracellular matrices (dECMs) further, as they have the potential to copy the natural cellular environment. dECMs include the following proteins:

  • Collagen
  • Elastin
  • Laminin
  • Glycosaminoglycans
  • Proteoglycans
  • Growth factors

dECMs are not always stable though, and that presents challenges in bioprinting:

“Despite these obstacles, several research groups worldwide have attempted the development of bioinks based on dECMs,” state the researchers. “For inducing gelation, these studies have incorporated thermally-induced or photocrosslinking mechanisms, as well as a combination of the two.”

“Despite the crosslinking strategy implemented, the achieved mechanical stability has been observed to still not be sufficient, thereby requiring the use of synthetic materials as structural improvement supports.”

Shear stress profiles of the bioinks at different nozzle diameters and extrusion pressures: (a) 10 kPa, (b) 20 kPa, and (c) 60 kPa.

UV light has been used previously to increase the bioink stiffness in photocrosslinking, and for this study the authors experimented with the SIS dECM-based materials, using riboflavin (RF) as a photoinitiator. Visible light was used for the photocrosslinking. The research team created four different types of bioinks, with successful printability.

“Our experiments suggest that a successful extrusion can be accomplished while the pressure is maintained in the range 25–45 kPa,” stated the researchers.

(a–c) Viscosity and shear rate as a function of time, measured at different points of the nozzle tip geometry (center, middle, and wall). Structural parameter for the three extrusion nozzles studied with diameters of (d) 0.21 mm, (e) 0.25 mm, and (f) 0.41 mm.

They also went on to state that these bioinks demonstrate strong mechanical properties that could ensure success in bioprinting endeavors—following in line with previous research studies where crosslinking resulted in excellent printability parameters, as well as offering better integrity in shape.

“Further in silico experiments allowed us to calculate a stability parameter that provided conceptual evidence for the aggregation of collagen in times as short as 5 s,” concluded the researchers. “Finally, rheology tests allowed us to recover power law parameters for CFD simulations that confirmed shear stress values low enough to maintain high cell viability levels.

“Future work will be focused on reformulating the bioink with the aid of synthetic polymers and/or thermal processing such that collagen fibers remain in an extended state and are readily accessible to the photoinitiated molecules.”

The study of materials in 3D printing has become a vast realm, and a necessary one for those dedicated to such progressive fabrication techniques. It is also a very serious area of study for scientists engaged in seeking out the best ways to grow tissue in the lab, with the potential for making serious impacts in medicine.

Researchers around the world are on an intense journey to perfect bioprinting, and eventually, reach the pinnacle of success in fabricating human organs. The challenge today, as tissue engineering results in a variety of different implants, is to keep cells alive to serve their function in bioprinting. This means seeking out the best bioprinted structures to build, bio-inks, printers, and techniques. Find out more about photocrosslinkable inks here. What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: ‘Formulation and Characterization of a SIS-Based Photocrosslinkable Bioink’]

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Biogelx Launching First Product Range of Synthetic Bioinks for Variety of 3D Printing Applications

In 2013, a company called Biogelx was spun out from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland for the purposes of developing tunable, synthetic materials for use in 3D cell cultures and 3D bioprinting applications. Early on, the company worked on creating 3D cell culture scaffolds, which were in the form of synthetic peptide hydrogels so as to support cell growth by behaving as an extracellular matrix environment.

Bioinks are loaded up with cells in order to 3D print biological structures. Then, once the structure is printed, secondary crosslinking mechanisms help retain the shape’s structural fidelity. These bioprinting materials can facilitate cell adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation, as well as exhibit all the characteristics of an extracellular matrix environment. This is what makes it possible to create patient-specific human tissues in a laboratory setting, which is why good bioinks are very important.

Biogelx’s hydrogel bioinks have unique physical and chemical tunability, which means they can successfully replicate specific tissue characteristics so cells can engage with, and experience, a 3D environment that’s pretty close to real life. Early on, the industry recognized how beneficial Biogelx’s hydrogel bioinks could be for researchers in the industry, as the materials claim to offer reproducibility, great printability, an easy crosslinking method, and viscosity control in one package. The company’s bioinks can provide a base modular material where the cells’ chemical and mechanical properties are able to be adapted.

That’s why Biogelx is proud to launch its first product range of novel, synthetic bioinks: Biogelx-INKS. As the company says on its website, the future is synthetic.

“We are excited to announce the commercial availability of Biogelx™-INKs,” said Biogelx CEO, Mitch Scanlan. “Providing versatility and improving research outcomes are the key focuses for our product portfolio. We look forward to supporting researchers in their mission to develop realistic 3D disease modules, tissues, and organs for future pharmaceutical and medical applications.”

Developed with 3D printability at the forefront, Biogelx-INKs have been optimized for use in extrusion 3D printers, and they’re also versatile enough to work in 3D printing applications other than just bioprinting. The bioinks maintain the company’s core self-assembling peptide technology, and just like Biogelx’s hydrogel products, these new Biogelx-INKs form a nanofibrous network in order to mimic an extracellular matrix environment. This supports cell growth, proliferation, and signaling, but in addition, Biogelx-INKs were developed in such a way as to, as the company put it, “ensure the rheological properties are suitable for bioprinting applications.”

According to the Biogelx website, its new bioinks can be printed with good 3D fidelity, and don’t require any support, sacrificial, or curing inks. Biogelx-INKs also offer important shear-thinning behavior, which helps with cell viability, and controllable gelation, which is triggered by adding cell culture media and does not require the addition of reactive crosslinking reagents, UV curing, adjustments in pH, or extreme temperature. This feature also makes the material compatible with many different 3D bioprinters.

The company’s technology is based on a system of two peptides – a hydrophobic ‘gelator’ peptide (Fmoc-diphenylalanine) and a hydrophilic ‘surfactant’ (Fmoc-serine) – which self-assemble to form fibers in aqueous environments. These fibers have surface hydrophilic functionality, which is appropriate for cell adhesion.

Additional features of Biogelx-INKs include:

  • Reproducible – these bioinks are totally synthetic and manufactured under strict quality control, which ensures batch-to-batch reproducibility and consistent prints.
  • Tuneable – it’s possible to tailor the biomimetic functionality of the bioinks to specific cell types.
  • Biocompatibility – composed of amino-acids, Biogelx-INKs are >95% water and produce a nanoscale structure which mimics the natural extracellular matrix environment.
  • Material Biomimicry – this product range includes formulations that incorporate several biomimetic peptide sequences, which increases its biocompatibility with various cell types.

According to the Bioglex website, “With our core technology, our bioinks can be tailored to specific applications, meaning they have huge potential in a range of fields including cell research, toxicology, drug screening, and regenerative medicine.”

If you’re interested in the company’s new range of Biogelx-INKs, you can order the product, in one of three sizes, for £280.

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

[Images: Biogelx]

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Use of Simulation to Evaluate How Well 3D Printing Bioinks Work

[Image: CollPlant]

Plenty of research has been completed regarding the different materials we use to create biomedical parts. Many innovative bioinks – biomaterials loaded with cells to 3D print biological structures – have been developed for 3D bioprinting purposes, from materials like stem cells, gelatin hydrogels, and even sugarcane waste. 3D bioprinting itself is changing the field of medicine as we know it, because we can now fabricate patient-specific human tissues in a laboratory setting.

However, this technology only works if researchers and doctors have good bioinks on hand…and how do we know the materials are good? It’s expensive, difficult, and can take a long time to evaluate if these bioinks are 3D printable. That’s why many many researchers, like a team from the Wallenberg Wood Science Center (WWSC) in Sweden are starting to rely more and more on computer simulations to optimize these biomaterials.

Kajsa Markstedt, a PhD student of chemistry and chemical engineering and biopolymer technology at WWSC, and her colleagues recently partnered up with Johan Göhl’s Computational Engineering and Design team at the Fraunhofer Chalmers Centre (FCC) to test out a process for using a computational fluid dynamics tool to model the way bioinks are dispensed.

“As well as allowing us to evaluate the printability of a bioink, simulations could also help us choose the printing technique that should be employed depending on the target tissue. Such techniques vary depending on the viscosity and nature of the ink being printed, and include ink-jet printing, laser-induced forward transfer, microvalve- and extrusion-based bioprinting,” said Markstedt.

“To model how a bioink is dispensed, we used its mass flow rate and density as input in our calculations. These parameters are the ones most commonly evaluated in experiments when printing designs such as lines, grids or cylinders.”

The team published a paper, titled “Simulations of 3D bioprinting: predicting bioprintability of nanofibrillar inks,” in the Biofabrication journal; co-authors include Göhl, Markstedt, Andreas Mark, Karl Håkansson, Paul Gatenholm, and Fredrik Edelvik.

The abstract reads, “To fulfill the multiple requirements of a bioink, a wide range of materials and bioink composition are being developed and evaluated with regard to cell viability, mechanical performance and printability. It is essential that the printability and printing fidelity is not neglected since failure in printing the targeted architecture may be catastrophic for the survival of the cells and consequently the function of the printed tissue. However, experimental evaluation of bioinks printability is time-consuming and must be kept at a minimum, especially when 3D bioprinting with cells that are valuable and costly. This paper demonstrates how experimental evaluation could be complemented with computer based simulations to evaluate newly developed bioinks. Here, a computational fluid dynamics simulation tool was used to study the influence of different printing parameters and evaluate the predictability of the printing process. Based on data from oscillation frequency measurements of the evaluated bioinks, a full stress rheology model was used, where the viscoelastic behaviour of the material was captured.”

Visual comparison between (L) photo of printed grid structure and (R) simulation of printed grid structure when using 4% CNF ink.

According to Markstedt, 3D printability of a bioink is most often determined by the ratio of line width to the diameter of a 3D printer’s nozzle, the curvature of 3D printed lines, and how many layers can be printed before structure collapse. The FCC scientists also used a dynamic contact-angle model, which uses surface tension and a contact angle as input, to the bioinks’ wettability on a substracte.

“In our simulations, we also used the printing path of a grid structure as input,” Markstedt said.

The full rheology model was based on the material’s viscoelastic behavior and the ink-oscillation frequency data obtained in the team’s experiments. For cellulose nanofibril (CNF) bioinks with different rheological properties, simulations produced outcomes that were similar to experimental results in lab evaluations. Additionally, the researchers could use the computer model the follow the real-time 3D printing process and study the behavior of various inks during dispensing.

Markstedt said, “In experimental evaluations, we often only have the properties of the final, printed grid structure to go on. This is a time-consuming way to develop new bioinks or to optimize printing parameters for a specific ink. It is also expensive since the prepared bioink containing cells is precious.”

It’s also important to test the biostructure soon after it’s 3D printed, because the cells are still viable at that point; this limits how long evaluations can last.

“This often leads to many bioinks being printed at printing parameters that have not been optimized for a specific bioink composition. The result is that the right architecture is not produced, which can be catastrophic because the printed tissue does not function properly,” said Markstedt. “For example, the printed line may be too thin causing the structure to break, or too thick, which prevents nutrients and oxygen reaching all the cells in the bioink.”

Comparison of the distribution of viscoelastic stresses in lines printed with 4% CNF ink and ink 6040 at 0.3, 0.4 and $0.5,mathrm{mm}$ distance between nozzle and plate.

The researchers are fairly certain that their new simulation tool will be able to provide them with far more feedback during 3D printing, like how viscoelastic- and shear stresses are distributed in the ink, while still surmounting all of these issues.

Markstedt said, “This provides a better understanding of why certain printer settings and bioinks work better than others. For example, it allows us to isolate individual parameters, such as printing speed, printer nozzle height, ink flow rate and printing path to study how they influence printing.”

The team will now work on modeling bioink flow inside nozzle geometries that are pre-defined.

“This addition to the model will allow us to observe what effect shear stresses from the nozzle have on the printing process. This will help us to determine how different printing pressures and nozzle shapes affect the bioprintability of a bioink,” explained Göhl.

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com, or share your thoughts below.

[Source: Physics World / Images: Göhl et. al.]

 

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3D Printing News Briefs: June 26, 2018

We have plenty of business, material, and 3D printer news to share with you in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs. 3D printing led to increased savings for GM over the last two years, which is now increasing its use of the technology as a result. ExOne is saying goodbye to one CEO and hello to another, while Polymaker announces a global distribution arrangement with Nexeo Solutions and CollPlant receives R&D project approval in Israel. The US Patent and Trademark Office will be hosting its annual Additive Manufacturing Partnership Meeting this week, and RP Platform has announced a rebrand and a new AI software platform. Finally, the UK’s National Centre for Additive Manufacturing has decided to add Digital Metal’s binder jetting technology to its portfolio.

GM Increasing Use of 3D Printing at Plants

Zane Meike, AM lead at GM’s Lansing Delta Township assembly plant, holds a common 3D printed tool used to align engine and transmission vehicle identification numbers. [Photo: Michael Wayland]

According to Dan Grieshaber, the Director of Global Manufacturing Integration for General Motors (GM), most of the company’s factories have 3D printers, which are used to build accessories and tools for workers. A $35,000 3D printer at GM’s Lansing Delta Township assembly plant has actually helped save the company over $300,000 over two years: it’s used to make multiple items, such as part hangers, socket covers, and ergonomic and safety tools. A common tool used to align engine and transmission vehicle identification numbers cost $3,000 to buy from a third party, but is less than $3 to 3D print at the factory. Realizing that these kinds of savings can add up quickly, GM is increasing the use of 3D printing – part of its new Manufacturing 4.0 processes – at its plants in order to help streamline operations.

“We’re quickly evolving, creating real value for the plant. This will become, as we progress, our footprint. We’ll have this in every one of our sites,” Grieshaber said.

Grieshaber also said that GM is working to standardize 3D printing, as well as share best practices across all of its global plants.

ExOne Welcomes New CEO

The ExOne Company, which provides 3D printers and 3D printed products, materials, and services to its industrial customers around the world, has announced that its CEO, James L. McCarley, is departing the company, effective immediately, to pursue other interests and opportunities; he will be assisting the company in transitioning his responsibilities to the new CEO. ExOne’s Board of Directors has also announced who the new CEO will be – S. Kent Rockwell, the company’s Executive Chairman, who has served in the position in previous years. Rockwell’s new title is effective immediately.

“On behalf of our Board and management team, I would like to thank Jim for his efforts and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” said Rockwell.

Polymaker Makes Distribution Arrangement with Nexeo Solutions

Shanghai-based 3D printing material producer Polymaker has entered an arrangement with chemicals and plastics distributor Nexeo Solutions, Inc., also based in Shanghai. Nexeo will be a global distributor for three new materials in the Polymaker Industrial line, but plans to introduce more of its materials over the rest of the year. C515 is an advanced polycarbonate (PC) filament that has excellent toughness and a low warping effect, while C515FR is a flame retardant PC with high impact resistance. SU301 is a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based polymer that’s water soluble and was developed as a support material for FFF 3D printers.

Paul Tayler, the Vice President of EMEA at Nexeo Solutions, said, “Expanding our portfolio to include industrial grade filaments from Polymaker Industrial gives our customers access to a wider range of filaments that solve new 3D printing challenges and meet the demands of manufacturers. Industrial customers benefit from Nexeo Solutions’ access to world leading plastic producers coupled with additive manufacturing technical expertise.”

CollPlant Receives R&D Project Approval

Two years ago, regenerative medicine company CollPlant received funding from Israel’s Ministry of Economy for its research in developing collagen-based bioinks for 3D printing tissues and organs. CollPlant, which uses its proprietary plant-based rhCollagen (recombinant human collagen) technology for tissue repair products, has now announced that the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA) has approved a grant to finance the continued development of its rhCollagen-based formulations intended for use as bioinks. Terms of the grant require CollPlant to pay royalties to the IIA on future sales of any technology that’s developed with the use of the funding, up to the full grant amount. The total project budget is roughly $1.2 million (NIS 4.2 million), and the IIA will finance 30%, subject to certain conditions.

“In addition to providing immediate non-dilutive funding, this grant from the Israel Innovation Authority represents an important validation of our BioInk technology and its market potential. With the recent opening of our new cGMP production facility in Rehovot, Israel, we are well positioned to meet growing demand for our BioInk and tissue repair products. We are grateful to the IIA for this recognition,” said CollPlant CEO Yehiel Tal.

Additive Manufacturing Partnership Meeting Hosted by US Patent and Trademark Office

For the last several years, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been hosting the Additive Manufacturing Partnership Meeting, and this year’s meeting takes place tomorrow, June 27th, from 1 to 5 PM at the USPTO headquarters inside the Madison Building in Alexandria, Virginia. The USPTO will be seeking opinions from various participants at the informal meeting, which is really a forum for individual 3D printing users and the USPTO to share ideas, insights, and personal experiences.

“We value our customers and the feedback provided from individual participants is important in our efforts to continuously improve the quality of our products and services,” the USPTO meeting site reads. “Your willing participation in this informal process is helpful in providing us with new insights and perspectives.”

Scheduled speakers at this year’s meeting are coming from CIMP-3D, HRL, Kansas State University, Lawrence Livermore Laboratories, and the NextManufacturing Center, and an RSVP is required to attend the AM Partnership Meeting.

RP Platform Launches New AI Software and Rebrand

London-based RP Platform, which provides customizable workflow automation software for industrial 3D printing, is launching a new software platform, which will use AI for the first time to automate 3D printing production. With customers in over 30 countries, the company is one of the top automation software providers for industrial 3D printing. In addition to its software launch, RP Platform has also announced that, as it continues to expand its software capabilities to target AM end part production, it is rebranding, and has changed its name to AMFG.

“We want to help companies make their 3D printing processes much smoother so that they can produce more parts with greater visibility and less effort. And we have more exciting releases to our software over the coming months that will further enhance our production automation capabilities,” said Keyvan Karimi, the CEO of AMFG.

“Ultimately, we’re creating a truly autonomous manufacturing process for industrial 3D printing. For us, this means taking manufacturing to a new era of production. The launch of our new software, as well as our company rebrand, fully reflects this vision going forward.”

NCAM Installing a Digital Metal 3D Printer

The National Centre for Additive Manufacturing (NCAM) in the UK, headquartered at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) in Coventry, has decided to add the unique binder jetting technology developed by Digital Metal to its large range of advanced manufacturing equipment, and will soon be installing one of its high-precision metal 3D printers – which are not available anywhere else in the UK. The 3D printer will be available for use by NCAM’s member companies, and other organizations, who are interested in testing the capabilities of Digital Metal’s proprietary binder jetting technology.

Dr. David Brackett, AM Technology Manager at the NCAM, explained, “The Digital Metal binder jetting technology falls into the category of ‘bind-and-sinter AM’, where a multi-stage process chain incorporating sintering is required to achieve full density. It’s a very fast technology that can create complicated and highly detailed designs, and there is potential for wider material choice than with AM processes that use melting. We are delighted to be able to offer this to the companies we work with.”

The Digital Metal 3D printer will be operational later this summer, and NCAM personnel are already training with it to ensure they can operate it efficiently and safely.

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