Manufacturing within a single-use container
A manufacturing assembly has at least a sterilizable chamber containing at least one of a three-dimensional printing device (additive manufacturing), a Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) finishing head (subtractive manufacturing), a vacuum-forming unit, an injection-molding unit, a laser-cutting unit, a ultrasonic-welding unit, a robotic arman analysis device, a sampling device or a combination thereof. A plurality of individual sterilizable chambers may be aseptically connected into a network of sterilizable chambers that provides additional functionality for the manufacturing assembly. A sterilizable printer assembly may include at least one printing head, a printing platform, and a driving mechanism adapted to perform a movement of the at least one printing head relative to the printing platform along three degrees of freedom; a printer housing enclosing the printer assembly in a sterile manner, at least one aseptic connector fluidly connected to a corresponding one of the at least one printing head.
1. A printing system comprising:
a three dimensional printing device having:
a sterilizable printer assembly including:
a sterilizable chamber; and
a multiaxis printing assembly including:
at least one printing head;
a plurality of robotic components for positioning the at least one printing head of the multiaxis printing assembly into position over a fixed printing platform and for pushing and/or pulling at least one printing tray across the fixed printing platform along a plurality of tracks;
a drive mechanism configured to control movements of the robotic components; and
a central body configured to connect the at least one printing head and the robotic components.
2. The printing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the multiaxis printing assembly is a tethered multiaxis printing assembly;
the at least one printing head has a tubing line to a port in the sterilizable chamber for transferring at least one of a fluid and material inputs configured to be dispensed by the at least one printing head, and the three dimensional printing device further comprises an aseptic connector to connect at least one of an external fluid connection and an external material connection to the port in the sterilizable chamber;
the robotic components comprise soft robotic actuators for positioning the tethered multiaxis printing assembly into position over the fixed printing platform,
the drive mechanism is a fluid drive mechanism comprising at least one of an externally-driven hydraulic and pneumatic drive mechanism configured to control the movements of the soft robotic actuators; and
the central body is further configured to connect the at least one printing head and the soft robotic actuators to the tubing line and the fluid drive mechanism, respectively.
3. The printing system of claim 2 , wherein:
the soft robotic actuators are selectively curled and uncurled for positioning the printing head and the printing tray relative to one another.