Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
computers for design and fabrication, SFF technologies have the
merit of being able to fabricate 3D scaffolds as designed, which
enables their standardization. Using these technologies, scaffolds
that are customized to each individual patient can be produced.
If designs for new materials, optimal scaffold fabrication systems,
andenhancedstudiesofcellphysiology(i.e.,optimalcelladhesion,
proliferation, and vascularization) can be developed, SFF tech-
nologies will become an important aspect of tissue engineering
research in the near future.
31.1 Introduction
Enhanced realization of the 3D freeform environment is becoming
necessary to reinforce the viability of cells and the ability to regen-
erate tissues. Therefore, there have been many attempts to design
and fabricate tissue engineering scaffolds using CAD and CAM. As
a result, several SFF technologies, including SL, FDM, 3DP, and SLS
have been developed. Because these methods use computer pro-
grams to design and fabricate the scaffolds, their inner and outer
architectures, including the pore shape, porosity, and the intercon-
nectivity of the scaffolds, can be more tightly controlled. Addition-
ally, SFF technologies are able to fabricate 3D scaffolds as designed,
which enables their standardization. This removes experimental
errors caused by variability in the inner architecture from one scaf-
foldtoanother,thusimprovingthereliabilityoftheexperiment.Fur-
ther, we can use these technologies to fabricate scaffolds that are
customizedtoeachindividualpatient.Theremainderofthischapter
describes the basic characteristics of these technologies and gives
examples oftheir application to tissueengineering.
31.2 SFF Methods Applied to Scaffolds
31.2.1
Stereolithography
SL was independently developed by both Kodama and Marutani of
Japan around the same time period.
1
,
2
3-D System Corporation was
the first to realize an economical SL system. In SL, an ultraviolet
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