Bioprinter Pressure Timing for Accurate Linear Tissue Printing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bioprinting techniques fail to ensure that bioink is printed to the desired length, leading to incomplete cell tissues due to issues like substrate entry into the syringe during insertion, causing printing to start from an unintended position.
Innovation Solution
A culture apparatus and method that control the bioprinter to apply pressure to bioink only after the outlet is positioned correctly within the substrate, ensuring printing starts from the intended start position and continues in a controlled manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the syringe is inserted into the substrate and the draw-up operation is started simultaneously with the discharge operation, then the printing process can begin quickly, but the substrate may enter the syringe at the time of insertion, causing printing to not start from the printing start position
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies pressure to the bioink in the syringe before the syringe outlet moves from the printing start position. This preliminary action ensures that the bioink is ready for immediate discharge at the correct position, preventing substrate entry into the syringe and ensuring accurate printing start position while maintaining efficient printing speed
2Manufacturing precision
If the draw-up operation is started after the syringe outlet reaches the printing start position, then the printing position accuracy is improved, but the printed line length becomes shorter than desired
Solution Approach 1:
The controller maintains the syringe outlet at the printing start position and applies pressure to the bioink continuously before and during the movement phase. This continuous action ensures that the bioink discharge starts exactly at the printing start position and continues without interruption, achieving both accurate positioning and desired printed line length
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the production of linear cell tissues of the desired length by ensuring accurate starting and continuous printing, reducing bioink waste and maintaining a consistent growth environment for cells.
Implementation Method 1
a pump configured to apply a pressure to the bioink in a direction toward an outlet of the tube
Data Source
AI summary
A culture apparatus includes a bioprinter that linearly prints bioink, a housing configured to accommodate a substrate that supports the bioink, a driver that moves the bioprinter and the housing relatively to each other, and a controller. The controller is configured to control the driver to locate an outlet of the bioprinter at a printing start position in the housing and thereafter to move the outlet in a first direction in the substrate within the housing. The controller is configured to control a pump for the bioink to start application of a pressure to the bioink after the outlet is inserted in the substrate and before the outlet starts moving from the printing start position in the first direction.