Printability Of Inks Research Articles

Design of Aerated Oleogel-Hydrogel Mixtures for 3D Printing of Personalized Cannabis Edibles.

Cannabis seed oil oleogel structured with Glycerol Monostearate (20% w/w) was mixed with xanthan gum hydrogel (2% w/w) at different ratios ranging from 0% w/w hydrogel to 75% w/w hydrogel, using a syringe-to-syringe apparatus, for the preparation of 3D-printable food inks. This process enabled the simultaneous blend of oleogel and hydrogel phases and the incorporation of air in a reproducible and accurate manner. The printability of bigel inks with different mass ratios was evaluated by using a conventional benchtop food 3D printer. The printability of the inks was found to be negatively affected by the presence of higher portions of the hydrogel phase, while the printing performance of pure cannabis seed oil oleogel was superior compared to the printing performance of the bigel inks. The physicochemical properties of hybrid gels were investigated with rheological studies, thermophysical studies (Differential Scanning Calorimetry), Polarized Light Microscopy, and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy. The microstructure of the aerated inks was affected by the presence of a higher oleogel fraction, in terms of air bubble shape and distribution. The addition of hydrogel at concentrations higher than 50% w/w had a strong negative effect on the mechanical properties of the inks leading to a partial collapse of the printed structures and subsequently to poor printing performance.

Lattice-designed 3D printing of gluten-free pasta incorporated with xanthan gum for the elderly food

The use of xanthan gum (XG) has been reported to soften the texture of gluten-free pasta (GFP), making it an ideal food for the elderly with swallowing difficulties. Designing pasta shapes can enhance the suitability of sauces, improving sensory properties. This study aimed to investigate the optimal amount of XG for softening the texture of GFP. Three-dimensional (3D) printing was used to create lattice design shapes of the soft GFP, and sauce adhesion capacity (SAC) was investigated. The viscoelastic properties and yield stress values of the GFP dough significantly increased with higher XG contents (0.25%–2%) (p < 0.05), improving ink printability. The X-1% sample showed a decrease in the storage modulus (G’) (representing solid-like behavior) curve when the temperature increased from 68 °C, correlating with its lower hardness (5.11 × 104 ± 480 N/m2), which almost matched level 2 as the soft solid food that can be mashed with gums. This also agreed with its reduction in water-holding capacity (WHC) and its larger microstructural porosities. The SAC test demonstrated a significant relationship between 3D lattice design shapes and sauce viscosity, concluding that high- or low-viscous sauces may be suitable for the larger or smaller size of interior hole designs, respectively. This study provides guidance for developing novel 3D-printed GFP with a soft texture specifically designed to improve the mealtime experience for the elderly.

From filler to structure: Designing 3D-printable silicone elastomers with broadband electromagnetic interference shielding

Material extrusion has revolutionized the fabrication of silicone elastomers with intricate and customized structures. However, the trade-off between the ink printability and functional filler compounding impedes the advancement of 3D-printed silicone elastomers for applications such as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and thermal management. In this study, we present a novel approach to fabricating functional silicone elastomers, focusing on the design of fillers, inks and structures. Ink printability was achieved by modified nanosheets, which conferred the thixotropy and self-support capacity to inks by constructing dynamic interfacial interactions within the silicone matrix. Additionally, modified nanosheets exhibited a “lubricating” effect under high shear rates owing to their layered structure, thereby facilitating a smooth extrusion process. Utilizing EMI shielding simulations of periodic porous structures as a guide, we successfully printed broadband EMI shielding silicone elastomers. Furthermore, the versatility of our approach was demonstrated through the creation of customized 3D-printed shielding boxes and wearable thermal management films, showcasing the diverse potential applications of the 3D-printed silicone elastomers. We anticipate that our innovative design approach will bridge the gap between functional elastomers and 3D printing technology, opening up new avenues for their applications in various fields.

Inkjet-Printed LSM-YSZ Thin Films for Enhanced Oxygen Electrodes in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells.

In the present work, symmetrical oxide ion conducting solid oxide single cells with inkjet-printed composite LSM-YSZ electrodes, onto commercially available YSZ dense substrates using GDC as buffer interlayer, were fabricated and characterized. Stable inkjet-printable LSM-YSZ nanoparticle inks were developed based on water solvent, after processing with high intensity ball milling. The deposition of LSM-YSZ electrodes was performed by inkjet printing, as well as a conventional additive manufacturing technique, screen printing, in order to compare the electrochemical performance of the produced cells for the reversible charge transfer reaction (O2 + 4 e- ↔ 2 O2-). The physicochemical properties of the LSM-YSZ nanoparticle ink was investigated to determine ink printability. The electrochemical performance of fabricated inkjet-printed and screen printed symmetrical cells (LSM-YSZ | GDC | YSZ | GDC | LSM-YSZ) exposed under a synthetic air atmosphere was evaluated in a single chamber cell reactor, employing the AC impedance spectroscopy and linear scan voltammetry techniques, at the temperature range of 700-850 °C. The inkjet-printed electrodes exhibited highly homogeneous and porous morphologies with the corresponding cell achieving current densities almost five times higher, up to 1 A/cm2 at 2 V cell potential and 850 °C, than those of the equivalent screen-printed one. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first successful implementation of water-based inks of LSM-YSZ electrodes in the fabrication of inkjet-printed solid oxide cells.

Characterization and optimization of a biomaterial ink aided by machine learning-assisted parameter suggestion

Bio-inks and biomaterial inks are crucial to the success of 3D bioprinting, as they form the foundation of almost every 3D bio-printed structure. Despite the use of various biomaterial inks with potential biomedical applications in 3D printing, developing printable biomaterial inks for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting remains a major challenge in additive manufacturing. To be effective, the inks must possess suitable mechanical properties, high biocompatibility, and the ability to print precisely. In this study, machine learning (ML) was employed to develop a chitosan-gelatin-agarose biomaterial ink. The ink's printability, rheological properties, hydrophilicity, degradability, and biological response were evaluated after an optimization process. The optimized ink exhibited adequate viscosity for reliable printing, and 3D structures were created to assess printability and shape integrity. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs) were cultured on the ink's surface, and cell adhesion, growth, and morphology were assessed. Results showed favorable cell morphology, and cell viability within the optimized ink. The ink consisting of 27 % agarose, 53 % chitosan, and 20 % gelatin (ACG), may be a suitable biomaterial for fabricating 3D complex tissue constructs.

Tuning of ultraviolet‐curable ink printability via in situ ultraviolet irradiation during direct ink write applications

AbstractDirect ink write deposition facilitates line‐by‐line extrusion of inks spanning wide viscoelastic ranges. Following deposition, post processing technologies permit tuning of the extrudate's material property characteristics—ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, facilitating the photopolymerization of UV‐reactive catalyst solutions, permits targeted modification of the extrudate's microstructure and in situ tuning of extrudate macrostructure. This report analyzes the morphological, rheological, and microstructural property relationships governing the printability, and processivity, of extruded UV‐curable resin inks for delineation of sufficiency and optimization of ink printability utilizing direct ink write technologies. A design‐of‐experiments approach is implemented to quantify significance regarding an extrudate's dimensional response to extrusion parameter variation and in situ processing parameters, identifying proportionally of nozzle velocity, nozzle height, and UV irradiation exposure with extrudate aspect ratio, reflected by respective maximum extrudate aspect ratio increases of 158% and 109%, regarding 121 and 123K resin inks. Finally, the relationship between extrudate morphology and microstructure variation was assessed via dielectric cure monitoring, whereby an extrudate's ion viscosity was calculated in relation to its rheological modulus, reflecting the relationship between an extrudate's morphology, rheological response, and printability, regarding its microstructural variation.

Development of a pH-responsive system based on starch and alginate-pectin hydrogels using coaxial 3D food printing

This study developed and optimized a 3D food printing (3DFOODP) process of a complex hydrogel system, consisting of a starch core and a pH-responsive alginate-pectin (Al–P) shell for potential encapsulation purposes. A coaxial nozzle setup was employed to print such a complex hydrogel structure. The 3D printability of inks (i.e., starch and Al–P) was first optimized for the best shape retention. By varying the concentrations of these biopolymers (i.e., 10–12 wt% for starch and 2–4 wt% for Al–P) in the ink solutions, it was found that a 2 wt% Al–P and an 11 wt% starch concentration provided the best printability. The printability of Al–P was significantly enhanced with the use of 0.02 M calcium chloride solution during the ink formation. The rheological properties of the inks were characterized in detail, where the shear experienced by the inks in the coaxial nozzle was also calculated. XRD and FTIR analyses of the 3D-printed hydrogel system showed a reduction in crystallinity and no covalent chemical interactions, respectively. Finally, SEM images displayed a porous structure ideal for encapsulation purposes.

3D‐Printed Lipid Mesophases for the Treatment of Chronic Liver Disease

AbstractAlthough lipid‐based formulations are an attractive approach for enhancing the oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs, their addition into solid oral dosage forms has been proven challenging due to their high viscosity and heat sensitivity. Therefore, unlike the traditional tableting process, this study employed semi‐solid extrusion 3D‐printing to produce–at room temperature–gastro‐resistant printlets containing a high percentage of bioactive lipids for the effective delivery of lipophilic drugs through self‐emulsification. The bio‐compatible lipidic mesophase ink, owing to a tunable 3D nanostructure, is employed as a starting material to produce printlets via additive manufacturing. An active lipid mixture – with antifibrotic properties – is blended with the antioxidant vitamin E and water, and the ink printability is optimized by carefully tailoring its composition, and thus its phase identity. The obtained printlets disintegrated upon contact with intestinal fluids forming colloidal structures that enhanced the solubility of a poorly water‐soluble drug. The printlets exhibited antifibrotic activity on human hepatic stellate cells, LX‐2, suggesting that the generated self‐emulsified colloidal structures made both the fibrosis‐resolving bioactive excipients and the drug promptly available, enhancing their cell uptake and, in turn, their therapeutic activity.

Application of machine learning in 3D bioprinting of cultivated meat

Cultivated meat production, an innovative and sustainable alternative to conventional animal farming, has gained significant attention in recent years. As the demand for ethical and environmentally friendly protein sources continues to rise, the need for efficient and scalable production strategies becomes critical. Notably, the integration of advanced technology, such as machine learning (ML), can enhance the efficiency of the cultivated meat production process. The goal of this review paper is to highlight the advantages and limitations of various ML approaches and provide a balanced discussion on the integration of ML techniques for three-dimensional (3D)-bioprinted cultivated meat. This review paper explores the application of ML techniques in various facets of 3D-bioprinted cultivated meat and highlights the potential for ML to optimize various aspects of the process, from predicting printability and optimizing printing parameters to characterizing meat flavor and monitoring meat quality. ML plays a pivotal role in optimizing the material formulation to improve ink printability and identifying an optimal combination of printing parameters to achieve high printing resolution and accuracy. Furthermore, ML can aid in modeling sensory attributes, ensuring that the cultivated meat replicates the desired meat flavor. Finally, ML can be applied for meat quality control as it facilitates the automated detection of harmful pathogens, ensuring the safety and consistency of 3D-bioprinted cultivated meat.

An investigation into the effects of ink formulations of semi-solid extrusion 3D printing on the performance of printed solid dosage forms.

Semi-solid extrusion (SSE) 3D printing has recently attracted increased attention for its pharmaceutical application as a potential method for small-batch manufacturing of personalised solid dosage forms. It has the advantage of allowing ambient temperature printing, which is especially beneficial for the 3D printing of thermosensitive drugs. In this study, the effects of polymeric compositions (single hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) system and binary HPMC + polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) system), disintegrant (silicon oxide (SiO2)), and active pharmaceutical ingredients (tranexamic acid (TXA) and paracetamol (PAC)) on the printability of semisolid inks and the qualities of SSE printed drug-loaded tablets were investigated. Printability is defined by the suitability of the material for the process in terms of its physical properties during extrusions and post-extrusion, including rheology, solidification time, avoiding slumping, etc. The rheological properties of the inks were investigated as a function of polymeric compositions and drug concentrations and further correlated with the printability of the inks. The SSE 3D printed tablets were subjected to a series of physicochemical properties characterisations and in vitro drug release performance evaluations. The results indicated that an addition of SiO2 would improve 3D printing shape fidelity (e.g., pore area and porosity) by altering the ink rheology. The pores of HPMC + PVP + 5PAC prints completely disappeared after 12 hours of drying (pore area = 0 mm2). An addition of SiO2 significantly improved the pore area of the prints which are 3.5 ± 0.1 mm2. It was noted that the drug release profile of PAC significantly increased (p < 0.05) when additive SiO2 was incorporated in the formulation. This could be due to a significantly higher porosity of HPMC + PVP + SiO2 + PAC (70.3 ± 0.2%) compared to HPMC + PVP + PAC (47.6 ± 2.1%). It was also likely that SiO2 acted as a disintegrant speeding up the drug release process. Besides, the incorporation of APIs with different aqueous solubilities, as well as levels of interaction with the polymeric system showed significant impacts on the structural fidelity and subsequently the drug release performance of 3D printed tablets.

Preparation and characterization of starch-based binders for binder jetting.

In recent years, binder jetting technology has made significant advances across industries, expanding the range of material options to meet diverse needs. Commonly used binders may leave residues during the sintering process, affecting surface quality and performance, and some may contain harmful substances. Therefore, there is a high demand for binders that are environmentally friendly and easy to remove. This study proposes to use sodium alginate and polyvinylpyrrolidone as additives to prepare starch-based inks that are both environmentally friendly and safe. The effects of additive composition, starch content, dispersant content, and dispersant ratio on the viscosity and stability of starch-based inks were studied. Through performance testing, the particle size, surface tension, rheological properties, and printability of inks with different components were demonstrated. The optimal ink formulation consists of 1 wt% starch and 0.3 wt% additives (30 wt% sodium alginate and 70 wt% PVP). The viscosity reaches 23 mPa s and the stability is excellent. The surface tension of the ink is 69.5 mN m-1, which is slightly higher than the surface tension requirements for the printhead. This article provides a new process route for binder jetting technology and lays the foundation for its application in green and environmental protection.

3D printable and mechanically tunable hydrogels achieved through hydrophobic and ionic interactions.

Thermal stiffening materials are commonly applied in the aerospace and automotive industries, among others, since their dimensional stabilities and stiffness characteristics improve at high temperatures. In this study, temperature-triggered modulus-tunable hydrogels were prepared by combining Pluronic F-127 with charged polymers. Pluronic F-127, a triblock copolymer micelle, provided three-dimensional printing capabilities of fine resolution with high viscosity, while hydrophobic and ionic interactions among polymer networks provided thermal stiffening. The hydrogel ink's printability was demonstrated by successfully creating complex 3D structures. A calcium ion carrying a hydrophobic propionate and carboxylate group in polymer chains was used to form additional physical crosslinking at high temperature, ultimately leading to the thermal stiffening effect without volume change. The thermal stiffening behavior was found to be fully reversible and repeatable. Finally, to demonstrate the versatility of this work, graphene oxide was added to produce a light-controllable modulus based on its photothermal properties.

All 3D‐Printed Soft High‐Density Surface Electromyography Electrode Arrays for Accurate Muscle Activation Mapping and Decomposition

AbstractHigh‐density surface electromyography (sEMG) electrode arrays enable the recording of tens to hundreds of channels of electromyographic signals, which have found wide applications in clinics and human‐machine interfaces. However, current manufacturing technologies of high‐density sEMG electrode arrays generally involve high‐cost equipments, complicated procedures, and insufficient programmability, severely hampering the rational design and practical applications of customized yet cost‐effective high‐density electrode arrays. Herein, the facile and efficient fabrication of novel 32‐channel soft high‐density sEMG electrode arrays by an all‐printed technique based on multimaterial direct ink writing 3D printing is presented. By employing rational four‐layer stacked structure designs with systematic ink printability evaluation, it can successfully realize seamless interfacial integration during the multimaterial printing, achieving reproducible, programmable, continuous fabrication of soft high‐density sEMG electrode arrays. The all 3D‐printed soft electrode arrays exhibit excellent stability, low impedance, and high signal‐to‐noise ratio superior to commercial products with an increase of 32.2%. Such intriguing properties enable this all 3D‐printed electrode arrays the unique capability of mapping muscle activation of the forearm, and the motor unit action potential trains can be precisely identified for varying hand gestures to effectively explore the innovative human‐machine interface toward diverse applications such as teleoperation and prosthetic control.

Development of photocrosslinkable bioinks with improved electromechanical properties for 3D bioprinting of cardiac BioRings

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is an advanced fabrication technique to build biomimetic constructs for different biomedical applications. Here, we developed composite bioinks based on photocrosslinkable natural polymers, gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and alginate methacrylate (AlgMA), and electroconductive reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanomaterials. The photocrosslinked hydrogels indicated interconnected porous microarchitecture with detectable rGO nanosheets on the pore walls. The addition of AlgMA and rGO to GelMA bioinks significantly enhanced tensile and compressive mechanical properties, improved the rheological properties and printability of inks, and controlled the degradation profile of the constructs. The optimization was done based on the suitable electromechanical properties for cardiac tissue engineering applications. The ring-shaped cardiac constructs were further 3D bioprinted with different cardiac cell types (neonatal rat cardiomyocytes, cardiac fibroblasts, and HL-1 cells). The optimized bioink supported a high level of cardiac cell viability, proliferation, spreading, elongation, and alignment with functional hallmarks (e.g., calcium transient and cellular spontaneous beating). Proof-of-concept validation was demonstrated for utilizing this platform as a 3D bioprinted heart-on-a-chip model with automated high-throughput in the 12-well plates. The developed bioprinted cardiac model could be used for different applications, including drug screening and disease modeling.

Design of Quantum Dot Color Convertors for Inkjet‐Printed Optoelectronic Devices: Violet‐Converted Full Color Mini‐LED

AbstractThis study presents a strategy of design and development of inkjet‐printable and UV‐curable quantum dot (QD) polymer‐based inks and color conversion (CC) film for use in optoelectronic devices. At first, the preparation of a QD ink is focused on two key aspects, that are QD chemical compatibility and ink printability. In the hybrid organic–inorganic polymer/QDs system, it must be formulated to a well‐dispersed ink, in which a dispersant additive without negative effect on QDs is introduced to enhance the QD suspension. As the optical density of final dried QD film is one of the most critical concerns in color conversion, QD concentration should be as high as possible in the ink, which increases the ink viscosity. Consequently, a trade‐off between QD concentration and the ink viscosity associated with the ink‐jetting temperature is considered to ensure the ink printability. Finally, the designed QD ink is printed as color conversion film on a mini‐LED panel composed of two violet mini‐chips to produce red and green emissions, while blue emission directly comes from a blue mini‐chip. The final conversion efficiency of QDCC on mini‐LED panel are between 35% and 45%, showing the promising applications in optoelectronic devices.

Go with the flow: Rheological requirements for direct ink write printability

The rapid development of additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimensional (3D) printing, is driving innovations in both industry and academia. Direct ink writing (DIW), an extrusion-based 3D printing technology, can build 3D structures through the deposition of custom-made inks and produce devices with complex architectures, excellent mechanical properties, and enhanced functionalities. A paste-like ink is the key to successful printing. However, as new ink compositions have emerged, the rheological requirements of inks have not been well connected to printability, or the ability of a printed object to maintain its shape and support the weight of subsequent layers. In this review, we provide an overview of the rheological properties of successful DIW inks and propose a classification system based on ink composition. Factors influencing the rheology of different types of ink are discussed, and we propose a framework for describing ink printability using measures of rheology and print resolution. Furthermore, evolving techniques, including computational studies, high-throughput rheological measurements, machine learning, and materiomics, are discussed to illustrate the future directions of feedstock development for DIW. The goals of this review are to assess our current understanding of the relationship between rheological properties and printability, to point out specific challenges and opportunities for development, to provide guidelines to those interested in multi-material DIW, and to pave the way for more efficient, intelligent approaches for DIW ink development.

Study of Transport Phenomena in Next Generation Lithium Batteries, Assisted by 3D Printing

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) have a major role in the global energy future as they currently offer the best alternative for energy storage. The increase in energy demand is driving the development and optimization of high-performance batteries. With the specific objective of improving energy densities, studying the limiting phenomena such as the transport of species through the batteries’ components is essential. In this regard, using a new emerging technology such as 3D printing to process some of the batteries’ components could answer some issues. Thanks to its design flexibility compared to conventional manufacturing methods, this technique offers the possibility of creating customizable and complex architectures that could help unravel limiting phenomenon.More specifically, 3D printing is an interesting way to design solid electrolytes. This study aims at showing how the structure, the composition and the configuration of the solid electrolyte will affect the systems properties and thus its electrochemical performances. A first part of the study consists in evaluating the feasibility of 3D printing a solid composite electrolyte with a complex architecture. Thus, 3D printing techniques will be discussed as well as the formulation of a ceramic ink. Other aspects will be addressed such as the ink printability studies via rheology, the processing of different structures via printing and the print fidelity. Using different compositions and architectures, different structural characterizations and conductivity tests are performed to evaluate the impact of the processing on the system properties. The optimization of this proof of concept involving various polymer/ceramic ratios, geometrical architectures and processing studies is an interdisciplinary project that can lead to significant advances in the field of batteries.

Image-based assessment and machine learning-enabled prediction of printability of polysaccharides-based food ink for 3D printing

Despite the growing demand and interest in 3D printing for food manufacturing, predicting printability of food-grade materials based on biopolymer composition and rheological properties is a significant challenge. This study developed two image-based printability assessment metrics: printed filaments’ width and roughness and used these metrics to evaluate the printability of hydrogel-based food inks using response surface methodology (RSM) with regression analysis and machine learning. Rheological and compositional properties of food grade inks formulated using low-methoxyl pectin (LMP) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) with different ionic crosslinking densities were used as predictors of printability. RSM and linear regression showed good predictability of rheological properties based on formulation parameters but could not predict the printability metrics. For a machine learning based prediction model, the printability metrics were binarized with pre-specified thresholds and random forest classifiers were trained to predict the filament width and roughness labels, as well as the overall printability of the inks using formulation and rheological parameters. Without including formulation parameters, the models trained on rheological measurements alone were able to achieve high prediction accuracy: 82% for the width and roughness labels and 88% for the overall printability label, demonstrating the potential to predict printability of the polysaccharide inks developed in this study and to possibly generalize the models to food inks with different compositions.

Preparation of sustainable mineral oil-free offset printing ink with vegetable oil esters.

Mineral oils are used in substantial quantities for the production of varnishes and inks due to their abundance and versatility. However, as part of the production process, some of mineral oil components are separated as waste material, whereupon they can mix with air, water, or soil and become potentially harmful to the environment. Almost all these waste materials are volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that can easily evaporate at room temperature and have toxic effect. Therefore, a novel green, mineral oil-free offset printing ink was produced using vegetable oil esters as bio-renewable raw materials. Accompanying varnishes were prepared with linseed oil, methyl oleate, octyl stearate, and four types of resin (A, B, C, and D). The application of these varnishes to magenta color offset ink was subsequently studied to screen out the best combination of resin and ester in terms of setting time. Meanwhile, dyeing force tests were conducted to evaluate the ink's printability, while rheological analysis was done via viscosity and flowability tests. The setting time of the magenta color offset ink made by varnish A was observed to be considerably shorter than that of the ink samples prepared using varnishes B, C, and D. Furthermore, varnish A proved to be a good alternative varnish for the production of yellow, cyan, and black color offset printing inks. Samples of these inks were printed on coated paper, and their printability was contrasted against that of vegetable oil-based (pure vegetable oil), mineral oil-based, and other mineral oil-free offset printing inks. Results determined that the varnishes produced with linseed oil, methyl oleate, and octyl stearate can replace mineral oil-based varnishes for the production of offset printing ink.

The Exploration of Ink Formulations in Binder Jet 3D Printing Drugs.

The application of binder jet 3D printing technology in the pharmaceutical field is developing rapidly. The properties of the ink are very important, affecting the stability of the ejection and the precision of the finished product, but there is a great lack of research on pharmaceutical inks. This study used solvents and excipients commonly used in pharmaceuticals to quantify the printability of inks using printability Z value theory, while using an ink-jet printing and observation platform to analyze the droplet ejection state of different composition inks from microscopic level. Studies have shown that compared to ethanol, the ejection effect of droplets was better when isopropanol was added to the ink, and the proportion added should not be greater than 40%; as the molecular weight of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) increased, the concentration of PVP tolerated by the ink decreased; glycerin has a high ejection efficiency when the proportion is within 10%. In summary, a superior ink formulation of 40% aqueous isopropanol plus 0.1% PVP K30 and 4% glycerin was obtained. With this ink, levetiracetam dispersible tablets were prepared with a smooth printing process and the tablets had good appearance, good mechanical properties, and rapid release. This study provides a mutual validation of the Z value theory and the results of droplet ejection and tablet printing, while providing good ideas.