Modular fabrication systems and methods
The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure.
1. A method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure, said method comprising:
providing a data set representing a living three-dimensional structure to be fabricated;
providing a printable composition comprising a hydrogel seeded with cells; and
printing the printable composition onto a substrate in layers in a pattern in accordance with the data set suitable to fabricate the living three-dimensional structure without the need to provide a negative template;
wherein the printable composition is capable of (i) bonding between printed layers, (ii) holding its shape against gravity, and (iii) cross-linking slowly enough to prevent cell and material shearing during printing; and
wherein 94±5% of the cells in the fabricated living three-dimensional structure are viable.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel is an alginate gel.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrogel further comprises a cross-linking compound.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cells are of a single cell type.
5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the cells are chondrocytes.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cells are of more than one cell type.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said printing is carried out under sterile conditions.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said printing is carried out in a hermetically sealed envelope.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data set comprises geometry and cell distribution data of the structure to be fabricated, the method further comprising:
programming a system controller with instructions effective to cause said printing to produce a living three-dimensional structure with a desired geometry and cell distribution.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the geometry is free-form.
11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the geometry is an anatomic shape.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the anatomic shape is patient-specific.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the data set is generated by a computerized scan of a tissue/organ.
14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the computerized scan is achieved by computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.
15. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:
incubating the living three-dimensional structure under conditions effective to grow the cells.
16. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is printed from a syringe.
17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is printed from a deposition tool with an accuracy and repeatability of ±25μm.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said printing is carried out at a maximum applied pressure of 1592 kPa.
19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said printing is carried out at a maximum volumetric flow of 10.5 mL/s.