2. Set the rollers speed to 400 rpm and purge some material until
the flow is consistent and smooth.
3. Remove any filament dribble from the extruder nozzle.
4. Start the printing.
5. Pay close attention to the first layers as they are those determining the stability of the printout during the process.
6. At the end of the process, let the scaffolds to cool down and
then pour some ethanol at its base.
7. After some time (typically in the order of a couple of minutes),
the part can be detached.
8. Dry the scaffold with nitrogen and store vacuum-sealed in a
dark and dry place.
3.3.2 3D-Fiber
Deposition
Manufacturing with a Bioplotter V1.0 (EnvisionTEC, Fig. 3b) is
described as an example of the 3DF process, using a stainless steel
Luer lock G21 hypodermic needle (Fig. 4b right) shortened to a
length of approximately 15 mm (measured from the beginning of
the Luer lock mechanism). The machine works by heating the
polymer pellets in a cartridge until the melting point. Then, the
polymer melt can be extruded via the needle by the application of a
gas pressure. Normally an inert and dry gas (e.g., nitrogen) is used
to minimize polymer degradation.
The fabrication process was prepared as follows (brief visual
instructions can be found in Supplementary Video 2):
1. Fix the needle on the cartridge (parts shown in Fig. 7a).
2. Slide the stainless steel cartridge inside the heater block
(Fig. 7b) and fix it in position.
3. Load the material pellets.
4. Lock the pressure valve (Fig. 7c) onto the cartridge.
5. Start the slicing software.
6. Create a new material dataset with the following parameters
(as shown in Fig. 8):
(a) Feed XY: 1000 mm/min.
(b) Layer thickness: 0.4 mm.
(c) Pattern: 90
.
(d) Strand distance: 1.75 mm.
(e) Check “Meander.”
(f) See Note 17 for further parameters to be specified.
7. Load the .STL file and select the material dataset just created
for all the layers.
8. Generate the .NC-code and save it.
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the flow is consistent and smooth.
3. Remove any filament dribble from the extruder nozzle.
4. Start the printing.
5. Pay close attention to the first layers as they are those determining the stability of the printout during the process.
6. At the end of the process, let the scaffolds to cool down and
then pour some ethanol at its base.
7. After some time (typically in the order of a couple of minutes),
the part can be detached.
8. Dry the scaffold with nitrogen and store vacuum-sealed in a
dark and dry place.
3.3.2 3D-Fiber
Deposition
Manufacturing with a Bioplotter V1.0 (EnvisionTEC, Fig. 3b) is
described as an example of the 3DF process, using a stainless steel
Luer lock G21 hypodermic needle (Fig. 4b right) shortened to a
length of approximately 15 mm (measured from the beginning of
the Luer lock mechanism). The machine works by heating the
polymer pellets in a cartridge until the melting point. Then, the
polymer melt can be extruded via the needle by the application of a
gas pressure. Normally an inert and dry gas (e.g., nitrogen) is used
to minimize polymer degradation.
The fabrication process was prepared as follows (brief visual
instructions can be found in Supplementary Video 2):
1. Fix the needle on the cartridge (parts shown in Fig. 7a).
2. Slide the stainless steel cartridge inside the heater block
(Fig. 7b) and fix it in position.
3. Load the material pellets.
4. Lock the pressure valve (Fig. 7c) onto the cartridge.
5. Start the slicing software.
6. Create a new material dataset with the following parameters
(as shown in Fig. 8):
(a) Feed XY: 1000 mm/min.
(b) Layer thickness: 0.4 mm.
(c) Pattern: 90
.
(d) Strand distance: 1.75 mm.
(e) Check “Meander.”
(f) See Note 17 for further parameters to be specified.
7. Load the .STL file and select the material dataset just created
for all the layers.
8. Generate the .NC-code and save it.
86
Andrea Roberto Calore et al.