Three-dimensional Printing Technology Research Articles

Effect of functional bite raisers using three-dimensional printing technology on facial profile enhancement of skeletal class Ii cases

Effect of functional bite raisers using three-dimensional printing technology on facial profile enhancement of skeletal class Ii cases

Development and Application of 3D Printing Manufacturing Technology in Intelligent Vehicle Design

With the rapid development of intelligent vehicle technology, traditional vehicle design and manufacturing methods are facing many challenges. Traditional vehicle design and manufacturing methods have problems such as high cost, long development cycle and lack of personalized design. This paper took advantage of the high degree of flexibility, rapid customization and cost savings of 3D printing technology, which can provide entirely new solutions for intelligent vehicle design. This paper mainly analyzed the application of three-dimensional (3D) printing and manufacturing technology in intelligent vehicle design. In intelligent vehicle design, 3D printing can carry out 3D printed body structure design to make parts lightweight. The displacement sensor in the intelligent sensor can measure the displacement, deformation and vibration of the body components, and detect whether the body structure exceeds the safety range, which can provide safety feedback to the owner. 3D printing technology has been involved in automotive dashboard, interior design and customization. In this paper, the effects of vehicles designed under traditional methods and vehicles designed under 3D printing manufacturing technology were compared. The research and development cycle of class A, Class B, Class C and Class D in brand 1 under traditional manufacturing was 3.85 years, 3.13 years, 4.27 years and 4.32 years respectively. The R&D (research and development) cycle of grade A, B, C and D in brand 1 under 3D printing technology was 2.43 years, 2.05 years, 1.64 years and 1.73 years respectively. Under the traditional method, the average R&D cost of different levels of vehicles in brand 1, brand 2 and brand 3 was 191,000 yuan, 20900 yuan and 227,200 yuan respectively. Under 3D printing technology, the average R&D cost of different levels of vehicles in brand 1, brand 2 and brand 3 was 132,600 yuan, 145,300 yuan and 157,500 yuan respectively. The results of this paper emphasize that the application of 3D printing manufacturing technology shortens the development cycle of intelligent vehicles, reduces the development cost, and can be customized, which can be more in line with the needs of users.

Rapid construction of electrically small spherical and cylindrical antennas

Using three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies, two of the folded electrically small antennas (FESAs) are simulated, fabricated, and evaluated. A folded spherical helix and a cylindrical helix are chosen as a part of the verification of this fabrication process. FESAs are constructed on the polylactic acid (PLA) material-based 3D printed support and the effect of this extra support on antenna performances are discussed. The similarity index between measured and simulated performance parameters of both spherical helix and cylindrical helix shaped FESAs is high. The fabrication process is faster, dependable and provides the design flexibility of any complex-shaped spiral antenna.

Case-based technical remarks on patient-specific instrumentation for corrective osteotomies in hand surgery

The paper aims to comment on interdisciplinary cooperation in preoperative planning, the technical details of materials and technologies used in the production process, and the differences between them from the engineers’ and surgeons’ points of view. Also, intraoperative difficulties, technical issues, and intraoperative tips are described in detail.Four patients with forearm fracture malunions were enrolled in a retrospective study. The study group consisted of two boys with improperly healed both-bone forearm fractures (radius and ulna), a girl with a radius shaft fracture malunion, and an adult patient with a distal radius fracture malunion.All patients underwent corrective osteotomy of the forearm bones using patient-specific instrumentation made with three-dimensional printing technology to improve the function of the upper limb. The production process and technical preparation of gauges and implants were presented in detail.The paper presents in detail the intraoperative difficulties resulting from planning and creating patient-specific instrumentation. Moreover, some intraoperative difficulties, technical issues and intraoperative tips are described depending on the indications and the type of surgery. A total estimate of preoperative time needed for surgical planning, including the time needed to produce individual implants, is approximately four weeks. The estimated surgical time saved is approximately 30 minutes, but a more important aspect is the ability to achieve greater precision in osteotomy and deformation correction.The limitations of the work are the small number of patients assessed and the different profiles of the patients presented.Most published papers focus on the indications for and advantages of these procedures and the clinical results of these procedures. It is typical for developing technologies to highlight the positive aspects of the technique. We present possible drawbacks and technical issues regarding preoperative planning and intraoperative tips and difficulties, which are rarely seen in the literature.

Технология изготовления образцов из композитных материалов для проведения лабораторных испытаний

Based on the accumulated experience of the staff of the Institute of Marine Technologies, Energy and Transport of the Astrakhan State Technical University, the development of the production of various parts of ship hulls, elements of main and auxiliary power plants, including various fasteners and stanchions, using additive technology and other methods of forming composite materials has begun. During the implementation of the developed direction, issues arise of reducing the cost, weight of manufactured parts and improving the characteristics of sound absorption, sound insulation, vibration isolation, etc. Despite the fact that adhesives based on epoxy or polyester resin, according to technical documentation, are fast-curing adhesives, they are not applicable for the production of products using three-dimensional printing technologies. for several reasons. The factors preventing the use of materials for the production of such parts are listed: the minimum curing time of one layer of glue under optimal conditions is from one and a half hours or more, which significantly increases the interlayer time interval; the glue layer is not a self-supporting structure due to the fact that it is in a liquid state during the induction period; products made of this adhesive without reinforcement cannot withstand the required dynamic loads. In the process of experimental studies, a number of formulations based on polyester resin with different fillers were obtained, which have the necessary consistency to apply layers on top of the previous one without waiting for curing, and also contain the necessary amount of reinforcing material and other fillers required to solve problems related to vibration isolation and sound insulation.

Study on Structural Design and Motion Characteristics of Magnetic Helical Soft Microrobots with Drug-Carrying Function.

Magnetic soft microrobots have a wide range of applications in targeted drug therapy, cell manipulation, and other aspects. Currently, the research on magnetic soft microrobots is still in the exploratory stage, and most of the research focuses on a single helical structure, which has limited space to perform drug-carrying tasks efficiently and cannot satisfy specific medical goals in terms of propulsion speed. Therefore, balancing the motion speed and drug-carrying performance is a current challenge to overcome. In this paper, a magnetically controlled cone-helix soft microrobot structure with a drug-carrying function is proposed, its helical propulsion mechanism is deduced, a dynamical model is constructed, and the microrobot structure is prepared using femtosecond laser two-photon polymerization three-dimensional printing technology for magnetic drive control experiments. The results show that under the premise of ensuring sufficient drug-carrying space, the microrobot structure proposed in this paper can realize helical propulsion quickly and stably, and the speed of motion increases with increases in the frequency of the rotating magnetic field. The microrobot with a larger cavity diameter and a larger helical pitch exhibits faster rotary advancement speed, while the microrobot with a smaller helical height and a smaller helical cone angle outperforms other structures with the same feature sizes. The microrobot with a cone angle of 0.2 rad, a helical pitch of 100 µm, a helical height of 220 µm, and a cavity diameter of 80 µm achieves a maximum longitudinal motion speed of 390 µm/s.

Construction of 3D printed salmon fillet simulants: Improving printing performance by blending corn starch and flaxseed oil with pea protein and post-printing texturization via transglutaminase

Plant-based fish analogues have been proposed as a sustainable solution to address the inefficiencies and environmental challenges of traditional aquaculture. In this study, structurally stable salmon fillet simulants were constructed using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology coupled with transglutaminase (TGase) post-treatment. The myomere bioinks containing corn starch, flaxseed oil, and pea protein were optimised for the construction of structurally stable simulants. The flaxseed oil and pea protein myosepta bioinks were then injected into the 3D printed myomere analogues according to the macronutrients of real salmon fillets. The rheological properties of the myomere and myosepta bioinks, as well as the microstructure and chemical composition of the myomere and myosepta analogues, were systematically characterized. TGase was added to both myomere and myosepta simulants for paste-solid transformation. The printed raw salmon fillet simulants were microwaved to obtain cooked salmon fillet simulants. Moreover, the textural properties of the raw and cooked salmon fillet simulants were investigated. The prepared salmon fillet simulants exhibited fish muscle-like fibre structures in myomere analogues and good similarity to real salmon meat, demonstrating the great potential in simulating better fish meat texture.

3D printing and bioprinting in the battle against diabetes and its chronic complications.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar. Uncontrolled blood glucose affects the circulatory system in an organism by intervening blood circulation. The high blood glucose can lead to macrovascular (large blood vessels) and microvascular (small blood vessels) complications. Due to this, the vital organs (notably brain, eyes, feet, heart, kidneys, lungs and nerves) get worsen in diabetic patients if not treated at the earliest. Therefore, acquiring treatment at an appropriate time is very important for managing diabetes and other complications that are caused due to diabetes. The root cause for the occurrence of various health complications in diabetic patients is the uncontrolled blood glucose levels. This review presents a consolidated account of the applications of various types of three-dimensional (3D) printing and bioprinting technologies in treating diabetes as well as the complications caused due to impaired blood glucose levels. Herein, the development of biosensors (for the diagnosis), oral drug formulations, transdermal drug carriers, orthotic insoles and scaffolds (for the treatment) are discussed. Next to this, the fabrication of 3D bioprinted organs and cell-seeded hydrogels (pancreas engineering for producing insulin and bone engineering for managing bone defects) are explained. As the final application, 3D bioprinting of diabetic disease models for high-throughput screening of ant-diabetic drugs are discussed. Lastly, the challenges and future perspective associated with the use of 3D printing and bioprinting technologies against diabetes and its related chronic complications have been put forward.

Accuracy assessment between computer-guided surgery planning and actual tooth position during tooth autotransplantation.

This study aims to evaluate the precision and efficacy of utilizing computer-aided design (CAD) in combination with three-dimensional printing technology for tooth transplantation. This study analysed 50 transplanted teeth from 48 patients who underwent tooth transplantation surgery with the aid of CAD and positional guides. A consistent coordinate system was established using preoperative and postoperative cone-beam computed tomography images. Linear displacements and angular deviations were calculated by identifying key regions in both virtual designs and actual transplanted teeth. Additionally, an analysis was conducted to explore potential factors influencing these deviations. The mean cervical deviation, apical deviation, and angular deviation among the 50 transplanted teeth were 1.16 ± 0.57 mm, 1.80 ± 0.94 mm, and 6.82 ± 3.14°, respectively. Cervical deviation was significantly smaller than apical deviation. No significant difference in deviation was observed among different recipient socket locations, holding true for both single-root, and multi-root teeth. However, a significant difference was noted in apical deviation between single-root and multi-root teeth. Our analysis identified a correlation between apical deviation and root length, leading to the development of a prediction model: Apical deviation = 0.1390 × (root length) + 0.2791. The postoperative position of the donor teeth shows discrepancies compared to preoperative simulation when utilizing CAD and 3D printed templates during autotransplantation procedures. Continual refinement of preoperative design is a crucial endeavour.

Personalized medicine in the evaluation of Müllerian anomalies: the role of three-dimensional printing technology

To present the comprehensive methodology for generating personalized three-dimensional (3D) printed uterine models from 3D ultrasound (US) volumes in individuals diagnosed with Müllerian anomalies and discuss potential applications in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Pilot study. Single large university-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients with the presence of a Müllerian anomaly between the ages of 18 and 45 years attending the maternal-fetal medicine as well as reproductive endocrinology and infertility outpatient offices from 2018 to 2023 were included in the study. Subjects underwent 3D US transvaginal scanning for the collection of data. The 3D US volumes were acquired, edited, and exported from a US cart Voluson E10 system (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL). High-definition virtual models were created and modified, making them suitable for printing using Materialise 3-Matic Medical (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium). The models were printed on a J5 MediJet 3D printer (Stratasys, Rehovot, Israel). Colors were set to mimic a realistic appearance, and shore values were set before printing. Successful creation and utilization of personalized 3D-printed uterine models for individuals with Müllerian anomalies. Three-dimensional models were created for a uterus without anomalies, 2 variations of a partial septum, a unicornuate, and a didelphys uterus. Models were used as a tactile and customized tool for patient education, counseling, and medical student and resident teaching. This technique illustrates that the creation of personalized 3D-printed uterine models for utilization in the fields of reproductive endocrinology and infertility is feasible. We propose a novel use of individualized 3D-printed uterine models in the evaluation of individuals with Müllerian anomalies. These models may play a complementary role to standard imaging options in the assessment of these anomalies, with a special potential for application in highly complex or yet-to-be-determined types of anomalies.

Ultrasound treatment improved the physicochemical properties of pea protein with pectin ink used for 3D printing

Pectin, as a gelling agent enhancer, is capable of augmenting the strength of plant protein gels; however, their direct blending often results in insignificant crosslinking efficiency. The application of ultrasonication has been found to effectively promote crosslinking interactions between pectin and plant proteins. This study primarily probes into the physicochemical impacts on the pea protein system instigated by ultrasonicated apple pectin (AP), citrus pectin (CP), and high methoxyl pectin (HM) variances. It has been revealed that the incorporation of pectin, subsequent to ultrasonication, ameliorates the textural and rheological traits of the pea protein matrix. Nevertheless, the introduction of high methoxyl pectin excessively enhances these identical properties, rendering it unsuitable for use in food development and three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies. Under an ultrasound power setting of 390 W, the citrus pectin variant outperforms other variants with its superior hardness, elasticity, and viscoelasticity, thereby significantly bolstering the self-supporting capability and malleability of the pea protein system for potential utilization in 3D printing applications. In conclusion, the ultrasonically treated pectin-pea protein amalgam optimizes the physicochemical attributes of the pea protein system, contributing to the stability enhancement of 3D printed products.

Amorphous solid dispersion of a binary formulation with felodipine and HPMC for 3D printed floating tablets

This study focuses on the combination of three-dimensional printing (3DP) and amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) technologies for the manufacturing of gastroretentive floating tablets. Employing hot melt extrusion (HME) and fused deposition modeling (FDM), the study investigates the development of drug-loaded filaments and 3D printed (3DP) tablets containing felodipine as model drug and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as the polymeric carrier. Prior to fabrication, solubility parameter estimation and molecular dynamics simulations were applied to predict drug-polymer interactions, which are crucial for ASD formation. Physical bulk and surface characterization complemented the quality control of both drug-loaded filaments and 3DP tablets. The analysis confirmed a successful amorphous dispersion of felodipine within the polymeric matrix. Furthermore, the low infill percentage and enclosed design of the 3DP tablet allowed for obtaining low-density systems. This structure resulted in buoyancy during the entire drug release process until a complete dissolution of the 3DP tablets (more than 8 h) was attained. The particular design made it possible for a single polymer to achieve a zero-order controlled release of the drug, which is considered the ideal kinetics for a gastroretentive system. Accordingly, this study can be seen as an advancement in ASD formulation for 3DP technology within pharmaceutics.

Experimental Study on Strength Enhancement and Porosity Variation of 3D-Printed Gypsum Rocks: Insights on Vacuum Infiltration Post-Processing

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) technology has shown great potential in rock mechanics and mining engineering due to its ability to create complex and customized objects with high precision and accuracy. At present, an emerging research focus is improving the mechanical properties of 3D-printed samples, which originally has low strength and stiffness, to match those of natural rocks. The objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of different post-treatments on the strength enhancement of 3D-printed gypsum samples. To achieve this goal, 3D-printed gypsum samples were subjected to different post-treatments including dipped infiltration treatment and vacuum infiltration treatment using different infiltrants: water, saltwater, ColorBond, and StrengthMax. Subsequently, each sample was subjected to ultrasonic wave velocity testing and uniaxial compression experiments to characterize their mechanical properties, CT scans to investigate their microstructural characteristics. Additionally, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) tests were conducted to explore the underlying reasons for changes in macroscopic strength. Finally, the physical characteristics and mechanical properties of untreated and post-processed 3D-printed gypsum samples were compared with natural rocks. The results showed that the strength of samples treated with water and saltwater was much lower than that of those treated with ColorBond and StrengthMax, while the porosity was the opposite. In water-treated and saltwater-treated samples, water or saltwater treatment can alter particle characteristics, but weak adhesive bonding and numerous pores result in low mechanical strength. Samples treated with Colorbond or StrengthMax exhibit improved strength due to effective gap filling and cohesive structure formation, with StrengthMax-treated samples showing higher strength despite having more pores than Colorbond-treated ones. Moreover, the physical and mechanical properties of these treated samples matched a wider range of natural rock types compared to the untreated samples.

Feasibility and impact of three-dimensional (3D) printing technology in simulated teaching of congenital malformations

AimsThis study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of utilizing three-dimensional (3D) printing technology in the simulation teaching of congenital malformations.MethodsWe conducted a comparative analysis between an experimental group that received traditional teaching supplemented with 3D printing model demonstrations and hands-on model operation, and a control group that received traditional teaching methods. Various parameters, including classroom interest, classroom interaction, learning enthusiasm, disease awareness, teaching satisfaction, and independent operation confidence, were assessed, along with theoretical and practical tests.ResultsThe results showed no significant difference in theoretical test scores between the two groups (91.92 ± 15.04 vs. 89.44 ± 14.89), but the practical test revealed a significantly higher number of qualified trainees in the experimental group compared to the control group (23 vs. 8). In terms of classroom engagement, both groups exhibited similar levels of interest (8.08 ± 1.52 vs. 8.74 ± 0.984), classroom interaction (7.88 ± 1.97 vs. 8.7 ± 1.33), learning enthusiasm (8.81 ± 1.021 vs. 8.52 ± 1.189), and disease awareness (8.58 ± 0.99 vs. 8.58 ± 0.99). However, the experimental group demonstrated significantly higher teaching satisfaction (8.81 ± 1.06 vs. 9.19 ± 0.96) and greater operation confidence (7.67 ± 2.56 vs. 5.5 ± 2.79) than the control group.Conclusion3D printing technology can be effectively utilized to create surgical teaching models, enhancing the confidence of standardized training doctors and improving teaching outcomes.

3d printing of skull models in horse, ox and pig

In this study, it was aimed to physically create skull models of large-sized animal sample horse, cattle and pig species used in veterinary anatomy education with three-dimensional printing technology and to determine the suitability of these models anatomically. The anatomical structures on the skull models obtained for this purpose were examined comparatively and the advantages and disadvantages of the models in terms of their usability in education were revealed. For the study, 3D reconstruction and segmentation processes were performed digitally on the cross-sectional images of horse, cattle and pig skulls obtained by computed tomography scanning and printed. Anatomical structures were comparatively analyzed on the produced 3d plastic replicas and organic skulls. Anatomical accuracy of the 3d models, printing quality, printing errors, advantages and disadvantages were evaluated. Plastic models were found to be approximately 45% lighter than organic models in horses, 55% lighter in cattle and 60% lighter in pigs. The weight (g)/printing time (s) ratio was calculated as 11.8 for equine skull models, 12.7 for bovine models and 7.4 for porcine models. It was determined that the anatomical accuracy of the models was at a high level, important anatomical structures could be printed in accordance with the original skulls, and only some sutures between the skull bones and holes with a diameter of less than 2 mm could not be clearly visualized due to scanning and printing quality. As a result, it was determined that the plastic replicas obtained can be used in veterinary anatomy education in terms of anatomical accuracy, as well as important advantages such as being lighter, more resistant to effects such as falling, impact, cleaning, easy storage, low cost, reprinting when necessary and making corrections on the model.

Improved broadband design of SiC/MWCNT absorbing materials through synergistic regulation of heterointerface structure and triple periodic minimal surface meta-structure

SiC/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) composites are considered to be promising materials for high-temperature electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption due to their strong thermal stability and tunable dielectric properties. However, the EMW absorption performance of these composites is limited by poor impedance matching. This study proposes a novel multiscale structure synergistic regulation approach to enhance EMW absorption performance, which involves constructing a heterointerface structure and a triple periodic minimal surface (TPMS) meta-structure. The addition of a SiO2 shell as an impedance layer to the SiC/MWCNT core to improve the intrinsic impedance. Meanwhile, the heterointerface between the core-shell structure leads to multiple interface polarization, significantly enhancing EMW energy dissipation. Consequently, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of SiO2–SiC/MWCNT composites increased from 0.88 to 4.56 GHz. Furthermore, a TPMS meta-structure, fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing and sol infiltration technology, is developed to further improve impedance matching with the equivalent electromagnetic effect. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the SiO2–SiC/MWCNT TPMS meta-structure exhibits broadband EMW absorption performance, with the EAB reaching 7.2 GHz. This improvement is attributed to the synergistic regulation of the heterointerface structure and TPMS meta-structure, which provides a good balance between the requirements of electromagnetic loss and impedance matching. Additionally, the composites exhibit excellent oxidation resistance, as their EAB remains almost unchanged after exposure to 1000 °C for 6 h. This research offers a new design paradigm for ultrabroadband design of the nonmagnetic high-temperature absorbing materials.

Mechanical, physical and thermal properties of polylactic acid filament composite reinforced with newly isolated Cryptostegia grandiflora fiber

By leveraging the properties of natural or plant fibers and possibilities through three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, a composite filament was fabricated by incorporating newly isolated Cryptostegia grandiflora fiber (CGF), as a reinforcement with polylactic acid (PLA) by using a twin-screw extruder. The fabricated composite filament and pure PLA filament were 3D-printed, using fused deposition modeling (FDM). This study investigated the mechanical, physical, and thermal properties of the 3D-printed CGF reinforced composite filament samples. The mechanical properties of the samples fabricated with 10 wt% CGF were better than that of samples with pure PLA. In addition, impact, tensile, flexural strengths and hardness were increased by 35.6, 33.6, 14.1, and 1.7%, respectively, when compared with the sample with pure PLA. The fractured surface morphology of tensile samples showed a uniform distribution of CGF within the PLA. The addition of CGF improved the thermal stability of the 3D-printed CGF/PLA composite sample by 15%. Therefore, the printed structure could serve as an alternative material for various uses, considering contemporary concepts of sustainability, availability, environmental friendliness, and cost effectiveness.

Compressive Fracture Behavior of Zirconia/Resin Composites Prepared by Fused Deposition Modeling Combined with Vacuum Infiltration.

Although bioceramic materials exhibit good biocompatibilities and bone conductivities, their high brittleness and low toughness properties limit their applications. Zirconia (ZrO2)/resin composites with idealized structures and properties were prepared by fused deposition modeling (FDM) combined with a vacuum infiltration process. The porous structure was prepared using the FDM three-dimensional printing technology, with granular zirconia as the raw material, and the relationship between the pore shape, pore size, and deformation was discussed. The results showed that square pores were more suitable than honeycomb pores for printing small pore sizes, and the resolution was high. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that the superposition of multiple printing paths promoted the emergence of hole defects. The effects of the resin and the pore shape on the compressive strengths of the composites were studied. It was found that the compressive strengths of the honeycomb pore ZrO2/resin composites and porous ceramics were superior to those of the square pore samples. The introduction of the resin had a significant effect on the compressive strengths of the composites. The compressive strength increased in the direction perpendicular to the pores, while it decreased in the direction parallel to the pores.

Patient-specific implants made of 3D printed bioresorbable polymers at the point-of-care: material, technology, and scope of surgical application

BackgroundBioresorbable patient-specific additive-manufactured bone grafts, meshes, and plates are emerging as a promising alternative that can overcome the challenges associated with conventional off-the-shelf implants. The fabrication of patient-specific implants (PSIs) directly at the point-of-care (POC), such as hospitals, clinics, and surgical centers, allows for more flexible, faster, and more efficient processes, reducing the need for outsourcing to external manufacturers. We want to emphasize the potential advantages of producing bioresorbable polymer implants for cranio-maxillofacial surgery at the POC by highlighting its surgical applications, benefits, and limitations.MethodsThis study describes the workflow of designing and fabricating degradable polymeric PSIs using three-dimensional (3D) printing technology. The cortical bone was segmented from the patient’s computed tomography data using Materialise Mimics software, and the PSIs were designed created using Geomagic Freeform and nTopology software. The implants were finally printed via Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) of medical-grade poly (L-lactide-co-D, L-lactide) with 30% β-tricalcium phosphate and evaluated for fit.Results3D printed implants using APF technology showed surfaces with highly uniform and well-connected droplets with minimal gap formation between the printed paths. For the plates and meshes, a wall thickness down to 0.8 mm could be achieved. In this study, we successfully printed plates for osteosynthesis, implants for orbital floor fractures, meshes for alveolar bone regeneration, and bone scaffolds with interconnected channels.ConclusionsThis study shows the feasibility of using 3D printing to create degradable polymeric PSIs seamlessly integrated into virtual surgical planning workflows. Implementing POC 3D printing of biodegradable PSI can potentially improve therapeutic outcomes, but regulatory compliance must be addressed.

AI-driven design of customized 3D-printed multi-layer capsules with controlled drug release profiles for personalized medicine

Personalized medicine aims to effectively and efficiently provide customized drugs that cater to diverse populations, which is a significant yet challenging task. Recently, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has transformed the medical field, and was expected to facilitate the efficient design and development of customized drugs through the synergy of their respective advantages. In this study, we present an innovative method that combines AI and 3D printing technology to design and fabricate customized capsules. Initially, we discretized and encoded the geometry of the capsule, simulated the dissolution process of the capsule with classical drug dissolution model, and verified it by experiments. Subsequently, we employed a genetic algorithm to explore the capsule geometric structure space and generate a complex multi-layer structure that satisfies the target drug release profiles, including stepwise release and zero-order release. Finally, Two model drugs, isoniazid and acetaminophen, were selected and fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing technology was utilized to precisely print the AI-designed capsule. The reliability of the method was verified by comparing the in vitro release curve of the printed capsules with the target curve, and the f2 value was more than 50. Notably, accurate and autonomous design of the drug release curve was achieved mainly by changing the geometry of the capsule. This approach is expected to be applied to different drug needs and facilitate the development of customized oral dosage forms.