3D Printer
In cutting-edge tissue engineering, drug development, and even clinical applications, the construction of in vitro models that mimic in vivo tissue structure and environment are very important conditions, and the way cells or microstructural units are assembled and the extracellular matrix environment plays a key role in the process of tissue functionalization, which has led to the development of three-dimensional tissue structure printing technologies. Among these technologies, projection light-curing and extrusion printing techniques are represented by the use of hydrogels containing cells as bio-ink materials, demonstrating superior biological tissue building capabilities. However, such printing is still limited to printing the bioink as a whole, and the cells in it are randomly distributed, making it difficult to actively form microstructural units on the cells, which is a current challenge for bioprinting.
In recent years, acoustic waves as an easy to integrate, high bioaffinity and high precision control means, in the flexible manipulation of cells and efficient assembly applications have been widely studied, such as the combination of acoustic waves and microfluidics of acoustic flow control and acoustic tweezers technology, especially suitable for manipulating cells to build in vitro models of tissue-like. How to extend the two-dimensional acoustic field manipulation technology to three-dimensional and three-dimensional tissue structure assembly is the challenge that needs to be solved for its advancement to biological 3D printing. Recently, Prof. Lujian Chen and Assistant Prof. Xuejia Hu from Xiamen University and Prof. Yi Yang's group from Wuhan University collaborated to propose a new solution: combining lamellar printing and acoustic manipulation of cellular 3D structure assembly, and published in the journal Biofabrication with the title: Smart acoustic 3D cell construct assembly with high-resolution. Biofabrication.
Drawing on the idea of multilayer light-curing printing, this study proposes the direct manipulation of cell composition feature structures in gel lamellae based on acoustic surface waves and the multilayer assembly of lamellae units, successfully realizing the 3D structure assembly and bionic tissue construction of cells. A schematic diagram of this strategy is shown in Fig. 1. The technique is designed with a six-fold rotationally symmetric transducer configuration on a Z-cut lithium niobate substrate to ensure a large degree of modulation freedom, which enables the assembly of cells in the lamellae into diverse structures through wave vector combination, phase combination and amplitude modulation. And to expand the two-dimensional acoustic field generated by surface waves and two-dimensional cell structures into three-dimensional space, the PμSL high-precision 3D printing technology (nanoArch P150, MUFON Precision) was used to fabricate a high-precision modular frame to couple with the surface wave acoustic field and to realize cell assembly in that frame. gelMA 60, as a bio-ink, is light-cured to form a gel lamella with microstructured gel lamellae. The gel lamellae are then used as two-dimensional units for the alignment and assembly of multiple layers and the fusion of hydrogels to obtain microscopic three-dimensional structures immobilized by the gel matrix.
As a demonstration, a variety of acoustic field structures generated by the modulation of acoustic devices in combination with 3D printed components with different characteristic units, such as the ring-like structure of blood vessels, the honeycomb structure of liver-like lobules, and the dotted structure of dense stacks, etc., and their ability to perform flexible cell assembly was experimentally verified. Through secondary 3D assembly, the researchers have achieved a variety of 3D cellular-scale tissue-like models, including hollow tubular capillary tissue, interwoven tissue structures, and honeycomb-like tissue of liver lobules. The scales of these feature cells depend on the period of the acoustic field and can be designed to vary from tens to hundreds of microns. In three dimensions, the thickness of these lamellae can be as low as 100 μm, thanks to the use of high-precision printed cell structures, which can be designed to fit the needs of different tissue heights with different interlayer distances. These 3D tissue-like models show good activity after culture, and the microscopically tightly connected bionic structures further promote the process of cell and tissue functionalization, such as the experimental verification that the tubular 3D models show interconnected fusion and vascularization tendency during long-term culture.
This acoustic cell 3D assembly technique extends the two-dimensional manipulation capability of acoustic surface waves to three-dimensional space, demonstrating unique advantages such as direct cell assembly, precise construction of tissue structures, flexibility and control, and ease of operation. This study demonstrates the ability to construct microscopic media beyond bio-ink printing, proposing an innovative technological route from a new dimension.
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There is an ancient magic pen Ma Liang, holding a magic pen, painting cattle painting sheep painting waterwheel, help folks "paint" all the needs of life and labor! With the rapid development of modern technology, the magic of 3D printing technology! The fantasy of "painting" everything becomes reality!
In the afternoon of August 9, a smoothly shaped light electric car - XEV-YOYO - was parked in the exhibition hall of Hefei YOYO Technology Co. As the main product of Hefei YOYO, XEV-YOYO is born from 3D printing technology, and it is the first electric car in the world that uses 3D printing technology to mass-produce interior and exterior body parts.
XEV-YOYO is the world's first electric vehicle to use 3D printing technology for mass production of interior and exterior body parts. "3D printed cars are shorter and cheaper in terms of production, a car takes only 2 weeks from parts design to output, compared to about 3 to 6 months for ordinary cars." Wu Jiawei, director of additive manufacturing at Hefei Youyao Technology Co.
The XEV electric vehicle does not need the molds used in traditional car manufacturing, truly customizing the flexible production on demand, reducing the time and cost investment of the whole vehicle development by more than 80%. At present, Hefei YoYo has realized the 3D printing of door panels, front and tail fins, and is still in the process of unlocking the "printing" of various parts of the car.
A fully charged XEV-YOYO can have a maximum range of 150 kilometers and a maximum speed of about 80 kilometers per hour. The battery can be replaced in 3-5 minutes at a designated location when the power is depleted, or in 3-4 hours using a home charging pile. In major European countries, city trips, short-distance travel, and transporting children to and from school ...... this nimble electric car has stepped into a rich life scenario.
The world's first electric car whose interior and exterior body trim parts are mass-produced using 3D printing technology - XEV-YOYO part of the personalized and customized body trim parts.
"'Core screen steam together Acute lifelong wisdom', in the field of new energy vehicles, Hefei has the advantage of supply chain and the advantage of R&D talents." In November 2020, Hefei YoYo settled in Xinzhan High-Tech Zone with a total investment of 600 million yuan. in February 2021, the first batch of 3D printed prototype cars totaling 40 units were successfully delivered. Today, Hefei YoYo has 50 3D printers and can produce 3,000 to 4,000 electric vehicles per year. At present, XEV has independently developed the YOYO 3D printed electric vehicle complete vehicle platform, including the chassis system, body electronic system, suspension system and other complete vehicle body architecture and interior and exterior design. The whole vehicle 3D printing not only can improve the integration strength of the body, but also can customize the "skin".
"This year's sales are double that of the same period last year, and can meet the needs of small customer groups customization." Wu Jiawei said. Next year, the XEV-YOYO, popular overseas, will be sold simultaneously in China, and the high-speed version of the XEV-YOYO will reach a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour and can be driven on intercity highways. The car's interior and seats will be adjusted and improved in terms of comfort and functionality to match the driving habits of the Chinese people.
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June 2022, researchers from the University of Trento in Italy have developed a new type of 3D printed polymer composite material, which was prepared using a solvent-free process and filled with materials such as graphene. Their research has been published in Nanomaterials under the title "Three Dimensional Printing of Multiscale Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites Containing Graphene or Carbon Nanotubes".
The use of 3D printing to fabricate thermoplastic composites containing different multiscale reinforcements has been a focus of research in the field of materials science. Embedded multiscale filler particles can enhance the properties of 3D printed polymers, such as their mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and thermal stability. This research area has been applied in the field of additive manufacturing, which can improve the product properties of fused filament manufactured FFFs by extending the printable materials. The synthesis of novel polymeric materials for various industries has been intensively studied over the past decade. In the current study, researchers evaluated the potential of several nanoscale and micron-scale particles to enhance polymer properties. For example, carbon-based materials can improve stiffness, corrosion resistance and weight reduction.
In the past few years, researchers have also investigated the performance of micro-fillers like milled carbon fibers and nano-fillers like graphene nanosheets and carbon nanotubes as polymer composite modifiers. The research has shown that nanocomposites containing conductive nanoparticles hold great promise for applications in 3D printed devices such as microbatteries, electronic sensors and microcircuits.
Studies have shown that polymer composites fabricated using fused deposition have enhanced toughness, increased Young's modulus, tensile strength, elastic modulus, and many other excellent properties. For example, multi-walled carbon nanotubes enable a direct correlation between resistance change and concentration, with an enhanced response at reduced loading. Specific concentrations of carbon nanotubes in different polymer composites can increase electrical conductivity. ABS composites containing dispersed graphene nanosheets have high thermal stability and elastic modulus, but reduced strain at break and stress. In addition, graphene nanoparticle-modified polypropylene has high interfacial shear strength.
Research
The researchers used a new solvent-free process to produce multi-scale composite filaments. The properties of different ratios of carbon-based reinforcements incorporated into the ABS polymer matrix were investigated. (milled carbon fibers, carbon nanotubes and graphene nanosheets).
Research results
● The results showed that the carbon nanotube and graphene nanosheet fillers increased the modulus and strength of the composites, but the addition of milled carbon fibers decreased their strain at break values. The nanofillers also improved the electrical conductivity of the composites, with carbon nanotubes showing the strongest conductivity enhancement.
● The density and properties of the final samples are strongly influenced by the production process. Due to the voids created by the 3D printing process, samples lose up to 65% of their ductility. This ductility is different in each composite. All composites with carbon nanotubes have low resistivity.
● The authors proposed comparative and selective parameters to evaluate the best composites. The composites are evaluated based on processability and performance to elucidate their suitability for applications such as sensors and thermoelectric devices.
Summary
1. the novelty of this study is the proper compounding, processing and characterization of multi-scale carbonaceous ABS composites based on microfibers (MCFs) and nanofillers (CNTs or GNPs) in different ratios by a solvent-free process.
2. The mechanical properties (modulus and strength) of the compression molded ABS composite samples were improved by the addition of microfillers (CNTs and GNPs) and the strain at break values were reduced by the addition of microfillers (MCFs). The electrical conductivity of the nanofillers was improved and the CNT fillers achieved the best performance compared to pure ABS and micro composites.
3. The multi-scale ABS/MCF/GNP composites showed good mechanical properties for the compression molded samples. Conversely, ABS/CNTs showed a significant improvement in electrical conductivity. The production process can greatly affect the density of the samples, which in turn affects their mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. In particular, if compared to CM specimens, the 3D printed samples show a sharp loss of ductility (in the range of 33-65%) due to the presence of voids, even if for some components the electrical conductivity can be maintained.
Overall, the paper demonstrates a potentially advantageous production process for multiscale polymer composites, proving that it will benefit several industries, such as sensors and thermoelectric devices.
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To match the premiere of the Marvel movie "Black Panther", PepsiCo by using 3D printing technology, a series of "Black Panther" character heads printed on the Coke packaging bottles. As far as 3D printing technology is concerned, Pepsi's application of it at the moment has not yet reached 100% perfection, but the appeal of this technology is in no way diminished.
PepsiCo's Max Rodriguez and engineer Thangthip Tekanil, who are in charge of packaging R&D, led a team to carry out a series of performance simulations, prototyping and other related work, in an effort to provide effective tools and production efficiency for the R&D and generation teams. Notably, one of the patented Modular Mold Sets is compatible with most injection molding machines, including aluminum shells, dental stones and 3D printed inserts, for a variety of bottle designs from 100 ml to 3 l. Rodriguez told TCT, "The Modular Mold Set is one of our rapid production of custom molds means to use in a lab-scale or pilot plant-scale injection molding facility."
The outsourced mold service provider PepsiCo previously worked with used to operate with a reduced material process like CNC or EDM, depending on the complexity of the mold structure, with product delivery taking 2-4 weeks and costing up to $10,000. rodriguez went on to add, "To reduce prototyping time and mold opening costs, the team initially tried to 3D print the entire mold, but the research revealed that it would take a lot of time and material. Ultimately we decided to use a hybrid model that combines a traditional metal mold with a 3D printed structure, where the metal shell is manufactured by an injection molding machine and then the internal parts are manufactured using 3D printing technology."
3D printed mold inserts on Carbon's M2 machine with CE certification. The team has been exploring 3D printing solutions that can match the Modular Mold Set processing model, with digital light processing technology, which prints faster, being a priority. After a series of trials, Pepsi is now using Nexa3D's NXE 400 machine and xPEEK 147 material.
Tekanil explains, "With 3D printing technology, a complete set of molds can be completed in 12 hours, with 8 hours of 3D printing time and 4 hours of curing time. xPEEK material requires only 3 hours of curing time, and warpage will be much less. Of course we also take into account material shrinkage to ensure that tolerances are within allowable limits when the mold is assembled."
Statistically, Modular Mold Set can produce thousands of bottles per mold, a solution that has saved PepsiCo about 90 percent in costs and reduced lead times from weeks to days. The next goal is to reach "thousands" of bottles. Thanks to this technology, we have the flexibility to design multiple product iterations so that we can evaluate all downstream market activities at any time.
This is not the first time PepsiCo has explored 3D printing technology; initially they used Stratasys' PolyJet technology and Digital ABS material (with a heat deflection temperature of 58-68°C), and were only able to produce 100 samples per mold set. PolyJet is currently used to pair with the lab's injection molding machine to produce small batches of samples. When the number of samples reaches 5,000, the DLP system is selected for operation.
Pepsi has worked to find the optimal solution between cost, machine performance and material performance from using the Carbon M2 to the Nexa3D NXE400, and such thinking will be a solution for other suppliers in the future.
In most cases, molds can be made within 48 hours and functional samples can be produced within a week. PepsiCo is also now exploring the application of metal 3D printing technology to integrate shape-following cooling channels for heat-setting applications, as well as manufacturing injection molds with polymer technology.
Rodriguez concluded, "3D printing is making a huge impact. 3D CAD file conversions are producing prototypes that are fully comparable to those produced by traditional machining methods. From the supply chain to marketing and even to the consumer, we can evaluate the positive performance of 3D printing on the production line. It is clear that this technology has significantly shortened our development cycle."
As you can see, PepsiCo is driving additive manufacturing technology for all aspects of bottle development, including accelerated and improved performance simulation, advanced systems analysis, and the production of high-quality functional prototypes using its proprietary technology and hybrid methods. 3D printing has given us unprecedented design capabilities, with greater scope for both brand design and printing new products, resulting in improved outreach and the ability to connect with customers.
TCT Asia has been focusing on the application and exploration of 3D printing in the whole field of manufacturing, and in 2022 TCT Asia will be held in Shenzhen, China, with a specially planned concurrent event TCT Asia Summit - Consumer Goods Forum. The forum will focus on the application of 3D printing technology in product packaging, jewelry design, 3C electronics and home appliances and other fields to discuss and share. The guest recruitment channel is now open, and we welcome industry professionals to apply or recommend suitable guest candidates!
In the special year of 2022, TCT Asia will bid farewell to Shanghai for the time being and head south to Shenzhen to set sail again at Shenzhen International Convention and Exhibition Center (Baoan) from August 31 to September 2.
If you have already completed your appointment to visit this year and confirmed that you will still visit the show which is postponed to August in Shenzhen.
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The disposal of plastic waste in the ocean has long been an important area of research in environmental protection. For decades, the marine environment has been affected by the degradation of fossil polymers (the vast majority of plastic products), which accumulate on beaches, oceans and even Arctic sea ice through the flow of ocean currents. To turn the tide, bio-based polymer composites have been created. This suitable alternative to fossil resources can meet the growing demand for marine composites.
Researching these composites is a European project called SeaBioComp. To reduce the ecological impact of plastics, the challenge is to create renewable materials that can withstand the long-term harsh marine environment, and SeaBioComp has developed a flax-based thermoplastic biocomposite. The project has 3D printed several initial prototypes, including fenders and other structures. Research has shown that polymers and composites made from natural raw materials such as biopolymers and biocomposites are seen as potential alternatives to fossil polymers, but with less impact on the environment, such as the formation of microplastics.
SeaBioComp has been actively seeking to create a durable bio-based composite for the marine environment since 2019 with a budget of €4.1 million ($4.2 million), co-funded by the EU's Interreg 2 Seas program. More than half of the funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which has funded other 3D printing-related projects in the region, including Portugal's first robot for high-performance and large-format metal 3D printing. SeaBioComp, led by Belgian textile research institute Centexbel, is also conducting analytical work to assess the long-term durability of its materials to reduce ecological impacts on the marine environment.
First, the project has created a self-reinforced polypropylene cross-ester (PLA) composite that has been made into a variety of nonwoven and woven fabrics suitable for compression molding. Second, the team developed a new linen-reinforced PLA or acrylic (PMMA)-reinforced composite that can be used for resin infusion, compression molding, and additive manufacturing through a flexible mold (RIFT) manufacturing process.
After extensive testing of the mechanical properties of various biocomposites developed by SeaBioComp, researchers and experts have concluded that these materials approach and in some cases outperform traditional non-biobased composites, such as Sheet Molding Composites (SMCs) that can now be used in marine environments. The new bio-based products have been shown to use the same compression molding conditions as conventional products, while process cycle times can be shorter.
In addition, the goal of the project is to create products that help reduce the impact on the marine environment, and early research has identified flax as the most suitable natural plant fiber for use as a biocomposite reinforcement. Flax absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide during growth and cleans the soil through phytoremediation. This method of using plant extracts to remove contaminants reduces their bioavailability in the soil.
To address global sources of marine pollution, the team at SeaBioComp combines thermoplastic polymers, natural fibers and 3D printing technology. In addition to fenders and other structures, SeaBioComp uses large-scale additive manufacturing techniques to create other semi-industrial products, including boat pumps and topsides.
In 2020, SeaBioComp revealed that it relied on FDM printers from Dutch industrial manufacturer Poly Products to 3D print complex structures of biocompliant materials.
In addition to the eco-benefits of the new material, SeaBioComp sees 3D printing as an eco-efficient manufacturing process. Compared to traditional product manufacturing.
● 3D printing of biopolymers is highly eco-efficient because it does not require molds and there is little production waste.
● It is compatible with the sustainable materials developed for the project, and 3D printed products can be recycled at the end of their useful life.
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