Pharmaceutical Additive Manufacturing With Unified Multi-Nozzle Flow Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 3D printing technologies face challenges in achieving high throughput, precision, and consistency when manufacturing pharmaceutical dosage units like tablets and caplets, particularly due to the high viscosity of printing materials and the inability to coordinate multiple nozzles effectively, leading to inconsistent output and high operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A system with a material supply module, flow distribution module, and multiple nozzles controlled by controllers to dispense precise flows, along with closed-loop control systems to manage temperature, pressure, and nozzle openings, ensuring consistent production of pharmaceutical dosage units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple printing devices are used to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision and consistency deteriorate due to hardware and software configuration inconsistencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple printing devices into a single integrated system with unified hardware and software configuration. Multiple nozzles are coordinated through a centralized controller that ensures consistent operation across all printing heads, eliminating the inconsistency problems that arise from coordinating separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the printing function into multiple nozzles that operate in parallel under unified control. Each nozzle can be independently controlled for precise material dispensing while maintaining overall system consistency through centralized coordination, allowing high throughput without sacrificing precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional 3D printing systems are used with high viscosity materials, then ease of manufacture is maintained, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to coordinate multiple nozzles and control material release
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements closed-loop control with feedback mechanisms that monitor and adjust material dispensing from multiple nozzles in real-time. This ensures precise coordination of high viscosity materials across all nozzles, maintaining consistency in pharmaceutical dosage unit production while keeping the process manageable through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized control system acts as an intermediary between the material supply and multiple nozzles. This mediator coordinates the operation of all nozzles, controlling the release of high viscosity materials in a precise and consistent manner, thereby achieving uniformity in the printed pharmaceutical units.
3Productivity
If multiple nozzles are used to increase throughput, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to coordination requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a universal centralized controller that manages multiple nozzles through a single interface and control architecture. This multi-functional controller handles material flow regulation, nozzle coordination, and printing parameters for all nozzles, reducing operational complexity despite the increased number of printing elements.
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 achieves high-throughput, precise, and cost-efficient manufacturing of pharmaceutical dosage units with consistency within and across batches, minimizing inconsistencies to less than 10% in weight and volume, and supports parallel printing across multiple stations.
Implementation Method 1
material in the form of a filament is fed through a heated nozzle, which melts the material onto a surface
Implementation Method 2
Other additive manufacturing methods utilize non-filamentous materials that are molten and pressurized before being dispensed through a printing nozzle
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to manufacturing pharmaceutical products using additive manufacturing technology. An exemplary printing system comprises: a material supply module for receiving a set of printing materials; a flow distribution module comprising a flow distribution plate, wherein the material supply module is configured to transport a single flow corresponding to the set of printing materials to the flow distribution plate; wherein the flow distribution plate comprises a plurality of channels for dividing the single flow into a plurality of flows; a plurality of nozzles, wherein the plurality of nozzles comprises a plurality of needle-valve mechanisms; one or more controllers for controlling the plurality of needle-valve mechanisms to dispense the plurality of flows based on a plurality of nozzle-specific parameters; and a printing platform configured to receive the dispensed plurality of flows, wherein the printing platform is configured to move to form a batch of the pharmaceutical product.