Continuous Bioink Supply With Dew Control for 3D Bioprinting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D bioprinting technologies face challenges in continuously supplying bioink to a syringe during printing, leading to limitations in printing large-scale biotissues and organoids, and dew condensation occurs due to temperature differences in multi-head 3D print heads, contaminating the printing environment.
Innovation Solution
A bioink supply system with a hydrogel and cell storage, mixing, and sensor parts, along with a controller, ensures continuous bioink supply, and a 3D print head with a thermally insulated cover prevents dew condensation, while a clean bench system maintains a stable biologically clean environment without expensive clean rooms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a multi-head 3D print head with different temperature zones is used to print both thermoplastic polymer and hydrogel, then printing versatility is improved, but dew condensation occurs on the low-temperature head due to heat transfer from the high-temperature head
Solution Approach 1:
A thermal insulation cover made of low thermal conductivity material is introduced as an intermediary between the high-temperature head and the low-temperature head. This cover blocks heat transfer from the high-temperature zone to the low-temperature zone, preventing dew condensation on the low-temperature head while allowing both heads to function at their required temperatures
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal insulation cover is selectively applied only to the high-temperature head, providing localized thermal management. This allows the high-temperature head to maintain its heating function while preventing heat from affecting the low-temperature head, enabling each zone to operate with its specific thermal properties
2Productivity
If conventional syringe-based bioink storage is used, then device simplicity is maintained, but the ability to continuously supply sufficient bioink for large-scale printing is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple storage components (hydrogel storage part and cell storage part) are merged with the mixing part and syringe to form an integrated bioink supply system. This combination enables continuous bioink production by mixing stored hydrogel and cells on-demand, eliminating the limitation of fixed syringe capacity while maintaining operational simplicity
3Ease of operation
If hydrogel and cells are mixed in advance for long-term storage, then printing convenience is improved, but cell viability deteriorates due to mismatched storage conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The bioink components are segmented into separate storage units: hydrogel is stored in a hydrogel storage part and cells are stored in a cell storage part. Each component is stored under its optimal conditions independently, and only mixed immediately before printing. This segmentation maintains cell viability while enabling convenient printing operation
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrogel and cells are prepared and stored separately in advance under their respective optimal conditions. The mixing action is performed preliminarily right before printing rather than in advance, ensuring cells remain viable during storage while maintaining printing convenience through pre-prepared components
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
The system enables continuous printing of large-scale biotissues and organoids with precise control, prevents dew condensation, and maintains a clean bioprinting environment, reducing contamination and power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a cover formed to surround the heating block... the cover is an engineering plastic or a ceramic material having excellent thermal insulation and heat resistance properties
Implementation Method 2
a heating block formed on an outer peripheral surface of the syringe... heat may be transferred to the inside of the syringe through the heating block
Implementation Method 3
a mixing part receiving and mixing a hydrogel and a cell solution from the hydrogel storage part and the cell storage part
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a bioink supply system and, more particularly, proposed is a bioink supply system including: a hydrogel storage part; cell storage part; a mixing part configured to receive and mix a hydrogel and a cell solution from the hydrogel storage part and the cell storage part; a sensor part configured to measure a level of bioink inside a syringe; and a controller configured to receive a signal from the sensor part and maintain a constant level of the bioink inside the syringe, in which the mixing part supplies, to the syringe, the bioink prepared by mixing the hydrogel and the cell solution. The bioink supply system can continuously supply an active bioink to a syringe of a bioprinter during 3D bioprinting, and thus can continuously print large-scale biotissue, a plurality of organoids, organ-on-a-chip devices, etc.