Automated Tissue Manufacturing Line for Consistent Production
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current tissue fabrication methods are labor-intensive, prone to inconsistencies, and risk contamination due to manual processes, lacking automation and real-time monitoring, which hinders the production of consistent tissue-engineered medical products.
Innovation Solution
A fully automated tissue manufacturing line that includes stations for thawing, expansion, concentration, and maturation of cells, utilizing programmable controllers and sensors to monitor and control critical process parameters, eliminating human intervention and ensuring consistency across production runs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual tissue fabrication methods are used, then flexibility in handling biological materials is maintained, but labor intensity increases and consistency between production runs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The automated tissue fabrication system performs operations autonomously without continuous human intervention. The system self-manages cell processing through automated media exchange, incubation monitoring, and transfer operations, eliminating manual labor while maintaining consistent production results across multiple runs
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations are replaced with automated robotic systems. The patent employs automated liquid handlers, robotic arms for vial manipulation, and computer-controlled incubators to perform tasks previously done manually, thereby improving consistency while reducing labor intensity
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual cell transfer and media exchange operations are performed, then adaptability to different cell types is maintained, but contamination risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes disposable single-use bioreactors and cell culture vessels that are pre-sterilized and designed for single-use applications. This eliminates the need for repeated sterilization cycles and manual handling of reusable equipment, significantly reducing contamination risk while maintaining adaptability through programmable processing parameters
Solution Approach 2:
The automated system operates within controlled atmosphere environments, including sterile enclosures and gas-controlled incubation chambers. These inert or controlled atmospheric conditions prevent contamination during cell culture operations while allowing flexibility in handling different cell types through programmable environmental parameters
3Ease of operation
If visual monitoring of cell cultures is used, then subjective assessment by operators is maintained, but measurement precision and objectivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates automated sensing and monitoring that continuously measures cell culture parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen, cell density, and media consumption. These objective measurements provide real-time feedback to the control system, enabling precise, data-driven decisions about when to perform media exchanges or transfer cells, eliminating subjective visual assessment
Solution Approach 2:
Subjective visual monitoring by operators is replaced with automated optical sensors, spectrophotometers, and imaging systems. These instruments provide objective, quantifiable measurements of cell culture state, improving measurement precision and eliminating human bias in assessment
4Productivity
If automated systems are implemented, then consistency and productivity are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The automated tissue fabrication system is designed as an integrated multi-functional platform that combines cell thawing, media exchange, incubation monitoring, and cell transfer operations within a single coordinated system. This universal approach improves consistency across production runs while managing complexity through unified control architecture rather than separate independent systems
Solution Approach 2:
The complex automated system is divided into modular functional units or stations, each performing a specific operation (e.g., thawing station, media exchange station, transfer station). This segmentation allows independent optimization and maintenance of each module while maintaining overall system consistency, making the complex system more manageable and adaptable
Data Source
AI summary
Manufacturing system and method for creating multiple tissue constructs from cells. System can include a thaw subsystem (if the cells are provided in a frozen state), an expansion subsystem, a concentration subsystem, and a tissue maturation subsystem. Each of these subsystems is modular and can be reconfigured, and the process can be repeated depending on the specific tissue process being implemented. Multiple tissue types can be combined in multiple bioreactors. The activities of multiple bioreactors can be coordinated and controlled in an automated manner by a supervisor controller. The supervisor controller can receive user input at the start of the process, and can manage the process henceforth, alerting the user if user actions are required.