System for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional structures and method for same

Inventors

Beyer, Simon T • WALUS, Konrad • Mohamed, Tamer • BSOUL, Anas Amjad Mohammad

Assignees

Aspect Biosystems Ltd

Abstract

A system and method for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional structures, including three-dimensional cellular structures, are provided. The system comprises at least one print head for receiving and dispensing materials, the materials comprising a sheath fluid and a hydrogel, the print head comprising an orifice for dispensing the materials, microfluidic channels for receiving and directing the materials, fluidic switches corresponding to one of the microfluidic channels in the print head and configured to allow or disallow fluid flow in the microfluidic channels; a receiving surface for receiving a first layer of the materials dispensed from the orifice; a positioning unit for positioning the orifice of the print head in three dimensional space; and a dispensing means for dispensing the materials from the orifice of the print head.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an additive manufacturing system for three-dimensional structures. The system includes at least one print head having a single orifice for receiving and dispensing materials, where the materials include at least one first material and at least one second material. Within the print head, microfluidic channels direct the first material and the second material to a common first intersection point that forms a dispensing channel extending to the orifice.

The print head further includes fluidic switches, each corresponding to one of the microfluidic channels and configured to allow or disallow fluid flow when actuated. A receiving surface is provided for receiving a first layer of the materials dispensed from the orifice. A positioning unit positions the orifice of the print head in three-dimensional space, enabling layered additive manufacturing.

The receiving surface and material dispensing architecture support forming a coaxial relationship between materials dispensed through the single orifice, including coaxial sheath behavior produced by the joining of channels at the common first intersection point. The microfluidic arrangement enables dispensing of at least one second material together with at least one first material through the dispensing channel toward the orifice while fluidic switches control which channel flows are permitted at a given time.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims cover two additive-manufacturing systems with a common print-head architecture and four inventive features. The claims share a single orifice, microfluidic channels joining at a common first intersection point to form a dispensing channel, and per-channel fluidic switches, together with a receiving surface and a positioning unit for layered three-dimensional structures. One claim further includes a fluid removal feature for removing excess first material.

Across the independent claims, the core coverage centers on a print head with a single orifice fed by microfluidic channels that converge at a common first intersection point to form a dispensing channel, with fluidic switches controlling per-channel flow, and with a receiving surface plus a three-dimensional positioning unit for dispensing into layered three-dimensional structures. One independent claim further includes an explicit fluid removal feature to remove excess first material dispensed from the orifice.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications