FDM Material Composition Balancing Elution, Strength, and Printability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing 3D printing methods, particularly fused deposition modeling, face challenges in producing solid objects with high elution rates of active components while maintaining strength and printability, leading to issues like cracking and reduced elution rates.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, water-soluble sugar or sugar alcohol, and a plasticizer component into the 3D printing material to enhance injection moldability and printability, resulting in a fast-eluting three-dimensionally molded object with an elution rate of 80% or higher within 85 minutes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fused deposition modeling is used to produce solid objects, then printability and structural integrity are improved, but elution rate of active components deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidelution rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses composite materials consisting of water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, water-soluble sugar or sugar alcohol, and plasticizer component. This composite formulation enables both structural integrity during printing and rapid elution of active components, resolving the contradiction between reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the printing material by incorporating water-soluble components. This parameter change allows the material to maintain structural integrity during printing while enabling fast elution of active components through water solubility, thus resolving the contradiction between structural integrity and elution rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional 3D printing materials are used, then ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to cracking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of printingVSAvoidstructural precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The composite material system with water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, water-soluble sugar or sugar alcohol, and plasticizer provides both ease of printing and prevention of cracking. The plasticizer component specifically addresses cracking issues while maintaining printability, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

By changing the material composition to include water-soluble components and plasticizers, the patent improves both ease of printing and manufacturing precision. The modified material parameters prevent cracking during printing while maintaining structural integrity, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If elution rate is increased, then productivity is improved, but structural integrity deteriorates leading to breakage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelution rateVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The composite material system achieves both high elution rate and structural integrity. The water-soluble components enable fast elution while the plasticizer and polymer matrix maintain structural integrity, preventing breakage during distribution. This resolves the contradiction between productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 solution enables the production of solid objects with rapid elution of active components, improved strength, and enhanced printability, overcoming the limitations of conventional methods.

Implementation Method 1

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

fused deposition modeling (FDM) in which a thermoplastic resin serving as a material for three-dimensionally molded object is thermally melted, extruded from a nozzle, and molded while being laminated on a molding stage

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMelting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS12377601B2Fast-eluting three-dimensionally molded object, filament for fast-eluting three-dimensionally molded object, and material for fast-eluting three-dimensionally molded object

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 ASTELLAS PHARMA INC

AI summary

Provided is a fast-eluting three-dimensionally molded object, which is formed by fused deposition modeling type three-dimensional molding and quickly elutes an active component. The fast-eluting three-dimensionally molded object is formed by the fused deposition modeling type three-dimensional molding and includes an active component, a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer, a water-soluble sugar and/or a water-soluble sugar alcohol, and a plasticizer component. The fast-eluting three-dimensionally molded object has an elution rate of the active component of 80% or higher within 85 minutes by a dissolution test method in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia, Sixteenth Edition.