Modelling and 3D-Printing Architectural Models—a Way to Develop STEAM Projects for Mathematics Classrooms

4D printing: Pragmatic progression in biofabrication

Over the past few decades, threedimensional (3D) printing has greatly aided in the creation of patient-specific prosthesis, drug administration, tissue and organ manufacturing, and surgery planning. Since the US established its Precision Medicine Initiative in 2015, there has been a surge in interest in personalized healthcare. The term "personalized medicine" basically describes patient-specific medical treatment. However, the biomedical materials used in 3D printing are frequently stable and incapable of responding to or being intelligently and adaptively adapted to the inside environment of the body. A disparity between the printed section and the target portions may result from ex-situ manufacturing of these materials, which involves printing on a flat substrate before releasing it onto the target surface. One technique that could be applied to offer individualized care is 3D printing. The components used in the development of four-dimensional (4D) printing can be adjusted through stimulation. Recently, a number of academics have begun examining a novel field that combines 3D and 4D printing with medications. Many of these problems are resolved by the development of 4D printing, which also bodes well for thebiomedical sector going forward. Pre-programmed smart materials can be utilized in 4D printing to produce structures that respond interactively to external stimuli

3D Printing, sometimes referred to as additive manufacturing, has made the concept of personalized medicine a reality. The primary objective of 3D and 4D printing is to produce intricate, customized pharmaceuticals at a reasonable cost. With improvements in materials, resolution, and speed, 3D printing technology is quickly developing. It includes faster construction, cost efficiency through reduced waste, design flexibility for complex structures, and sustainability through optimized material usage. An extensive literature survey was done on 3D and 4D printing of pharmaceuticals using PubMed, Elsevier, ScienceDirect, and Springer. The results were then filtered based on the titles, abstracts, and accessibility of the complete texts. The search engine Google Scholar was accessed for literature data mining. From the data mining, it was found that from the year 2009 to 2024 the number of research publications surged more than 200 times on the current topic. Even though 3-D and 4-D printing technologies have advanced significantly in a short amount of time, the most often used ones are still stereolithography, nozzle-based deposition, inkjet, and selective laser sintering. Their use has been modified for the production of nanoparticles, polypills, tablets, and implants, etc. Pharma's aspirations for tailored medications are being revolutionized by 3D printing, but cost, flexibility, and bioequivalence still need to be investigated. The present review offers a thorough analysis of various 3D and 4D printing methods and emphasizes the major advantages and disadvantages and major key challenges of 3D and 4D printing related to pharmaceuticals. Compared to 3D Printing, 4D printing offers better quality, efficacy, and functionality.

Recent 3D and 4D intelligent printing technologies: A comparative review and future perspective

Electromagnetic 2D scanning micromirror fabricated with 3D printed polymer parts for LiDAR applications

Alumina (Al2O3) suspensions were prepared for the effective application in the stereolithography three-dimensional (3D) printing process. Thermal treatment of -Al2O3 could optimize the ceramic slurries to meet the requirements of stereolithography 3D printing technique. In this study, alumina powders were modified by thermal treatment at different temperatures for the preparation of well dispersed ceramic slurries. The influence of thermal treatment on the raw powder, printed green bodies, and sintered alumina parts was systematically studied. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the decomposition temperature of photosensitive resin was between 390C and 460C. The alumina powders became denser, the crystal grains changed from round sphere-shaped to long cylinder-shaped, and the pores disappeared with increasing thermal treatment temperature. After the 3D printing process, the microstructure of green bodies and sintered alumina ceramics exhibited significant variation. Decomposition and removal of photosensitive resin led to higher water absorption, higher porosity, and lower bulk density of alumina ceramics compared to the printed green bodies. The scattering phenomenon in ceramic slurries and layer-by-layer forming characteristic determined the different shrinkage in three directions. Experimental results suggested that 1500C was considered as the optimal thermal treatment temperature, with the water absorption of 107%, open porosity of 91%, and bulk density of 0.67g·cm3. The higher thermal treatment temperatures would cause alumina powders to clump and agglomerate.

The existing 3D printing methods exhibit certain fabrication-dependent limitations for printing curved constructs that are relevant for many tissues. Four-dimensional (4D) printing is an emerging technology that is expected to revolutionize the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM). 4D printing is based on 3D printing, featuring the introduction of time as the fourth dimension, in which there is a transition from a 3D printed scaffold to a new, distinct, and stable state, upon the application of one or more stimuli. Here, we present an overview of the current developments of the 4D printing technology for TERM, with a focus on approaches to achieve temporal changes of the shape of the printed constructs that would enable biofabrication of highly complex structures. To this aim, the printing methods, types of stimuli, shape-shifting mechanisms, and cell-incorporation strategies are critically reviewed. Furthermore, the challenges of this very recent biofabrication technology as well as the future research directions are discussed. Our findings show that the most common printing methods so far are stereolithography (SLA) and extrusion bioprinting, followed by fused deposition modelling, while the shape-shifting mechanisms used for TERM applications are shape-memory and differential swelling for 4D printing and 4D bioprinting, respectively. For shape-memory mechanism, there is a high prevalence of synthetic materials, such as polylactic acid (PLA), poly(glycerol dodecanoate) acrylate (PGDA), or polyurethanes. On the other hand, different acrylate combinations of alginate, hyaluronan, or gelatin have been used for differential swelling-based 4D transformations. TERM applications include bone, vascular, and cardiac tissues as the main target of the 4D (bio)printing technology. The field has great potential for further development by considering the combination of multiple stimuli, the use of a wider range of 4D techniques, and the implementation of computational-assisted strategies.

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is a versatile technique for biomedical applications, and includes organ printing, 3D disease model development, and drug delivery. The bioprintable materials combined with live cells have been utilized as bioinks in 3D bioprinter to fabricate versatile 3D printed structures. The 3D structures developed with smart and responsive materials can change their dimension, a technique similar to self-assembly, unfolding a new branch termed as four-dimensional (4D) printing. This manuscript reviews the details of various bioprintable materials and 3D printers, the application of 3D printing in biomedicine, smart materials, and stimulations for 4D printing. Further, this article also summarizes the regulatory issues and the limitations involved with the bioprinting. The advancements in 3D and 4D printing technology have significantly contributed to the medical field, and adequate research and amalgamation of engineering and science ideas will strengthen the application of this technology and bring solution for the existing problems.Graphical abstract

New Technologies in Education for New Access to Information and New Hierarchy of Communication

Correlating 3D printing performance with sol-gel transition based on thermo-responsive k-carrageenan affected by fructose

<p>3D printing, also known under the term additive manufacturing, is a technology that allows the creation of complex and highly detailed objects using a digital model and a number of materials, such as plastics, metals, and ceramics. 4D printing is an expansion of 3D printing that incorporates time, meaning that the material used in 3D printing can change shape or properties over time. This technology is becoming increasingly important in the context of Industry 4.0, characterized by the Integration of cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and advanced robotics into manufacturing processes. In Industry 4.0, 3D and 4D printing is being used to create customized products, improve supply chain efficiency and reduce costs and lead times. Additionally, 3D and 4D printing is also being utilized in sectors like aerospace, regenerative medicine and dental, and automotive to create complex geometries and parts that would be challenging or impossible to create using conventional production techniques. Furthermore, 4D printing opens up new opportunities in emerging, novel, sectors where the ability to create materials that adapt and change over time can be highly beneficial.</p>

3-Dimensional (3D) printing has become a common tool to aid implant molding for cranioplastic surgery of large skull defects. Until now, 3D printing of cranial implants itself has not been used, mainly because of medicolegal concerns. With a 3D printer developed for printing medical applications and with implant-grade polyetheretherketone (PEEK) filament available, we established a workflow (in compliance with medical device regulations) to 3D print cranial implants for cranioplastic surgery directly at the point of care (POC). Here, we describe the implementation of 3D printing these PEEK implants for cranioplastic surgery at our academic hospital. A thorough design and 3D printing process, in accordance with local medical device regulations, was developed. Implants are digitally designed based upon pre- and post-craniectomy cranial computed tomography scans by trained 3D printing experts from the department of medical engineering at our institution. Implants are then produced on a medical 3D printer with implant-grade PEEK filament using the fused filament fabrication process. After postprocessing and steam sterilization, implantation for reconstruction of the skull can be performed. Cranioplastic surgery with a 3D-printed PEEK implant was performed at our institution in a patient with a large frontotemporoparietal skull defect after traumatic brain injury with consecutive decompressive craniectomy. No intra- or post-operative complications occurred. Postoperative cranial computed tomography scans showed perfect reconstruction of precraniectomy skull shape. The aesthetic result was promising and satisfactory to the patient. This novel 3D printing workflow enables the production of patient-specific cranial implants from PEEK, to reconstruct large skull defects directly at the POC in accordance with the European Medical Device Regulation. This marks an unprecedented technological and legal advancement, enabling the hospital infrastructure not only to deliver the cranioplastic surgery itself, but also additive manufacturing of the implant directly at the POC.

In this work, loess-based materials were designed based on a multicomponent composite materials system for ecofriendly natural three-dimensional (3D) printing involving quick lime, gypsum, and water. The 3D printing process was monitored as a function of gypsum content; in terms of mechanical strength and electrical resistance, in the cube-shaped bulk form. After initial optimization, the 3D printing composition was refined to provide improved printability in a 3D printing system. The optimal 3D fabrication allowed for reproducible printing of rectangular columns and cubes. The development of 3D printing materials was scrutinized using a multitude of physicochemical probing tools, including X-ray diffraction for phase identification, impedance spectroscopy to monitor setting behaviors, and mercury intrusion porosimetry to extract the pore structure of loess-based composite materials. Additionally, the setting behavior in the loess-based composite materials was analyzed by investigating the formation of gypsum hydrates induced by chemical reaction between quick lime and water. This setting reaction provides reasonable mechanical strength that is sufficient to print loess-based pastes via 3D printing. Such mechanical strength allows utilization of robotic 3D printing applications that can be used to fabricate ecofriendly structures.

4D printing is now commonly defined as a targeted evolution of a 3D printed structure to change its shape, properties, and functionality over time. In direct 4D printing this targeted evolution is embedded in the structure during the 3D printing process. A heat stimulus can be used to trigger a transition between two states of a printed shape memory polymer. 3D and 4D printing have greatly expanded the design space of a variety of engineering parts. However, 3D printed parts often show anisotropic behavior due to layering, especially when using fused filament fabrication. Here, it is shown how direct 4D printing on a fused filament fabrication system can be used to create deployable polymer wave springs. By introducing a pattern of multimaterial bilayer actuators into the wave spring, it can be printed flat and deployed to a designed spring shape through a thermal stimulus. This method eliminates the typical layering issues found in 3D printed springs due to printing at angles. Additionally, it reduces the print time and support material consumption. These findings show the great potential of direct 4D printing on 3D printers using fused filament fabrication to create functional, 4D printed components with complex geometry, such as polymer springs.

Chapter 15 - 3D and 4D printing of biomaterials and biocomposites, bioinspired composites, and related transformers