Optimising Bioprinting Nozzles through Computational Modelling and Design of Experiments
Juan C. Gómez Blanco,
Antonio Macías-García,
Jesús M. Rodríguez-Rego,
Laura Mendoza-Cerezo,
Francisco M. Sánchez-Margallo,
Alfonso C. Marcos-Romero,
José B. Pagador-Carrasco
Affiliations
Juan C. Gómez Blanco
Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre, Carretera N-521, km41.8, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
Antonio Macías-García
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas, s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Jesús M. Rodríguez-Rego
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas, s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Laura Mendoza-Cerezo
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas, s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
Francisco M. Sánchez-Margallo
Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre, Carretera N-521, km41.8, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
Alfonso C. Marcos-Romero
Department of Mechanical, Energy and Materials Engineering, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Extremadura, Avenida de Elvas, s/n, 06006 Badajoz, Spain
José B. Pagador-Carrasco
Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre, Carretera N-521, km41.8, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
3D bioprinting is a promising technique for creating artificial tissues and organs. One of the main challenges of bioprinting is cell damage, due to high pressures and tensions. During the biofabrication process, extrusion bioprinting usually results in low cell viability, typically ranging from 40% to 80%, although better printing performance with higher cell viability can be achieved by optimising the experimental design and operating conditions, with nozzle geometry being a key factor. This article presents a review of studies that have used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to optimise nozzle geometry. They show that the optimal ranges for diameter and length are 0.2 mm to 1 mm and 8 mm to 10 mm, respectively. In addition, it is recommended that the nozzle should have an internal angle of 20 to 30 degrees, an internal coating of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), and a shear stress of less than 10 kPa. In addition, a design of experiments technique to obtain an optimal 3D bioprinting configuration for a bioink is also presented. This experimental design would identify bioprinting conditions that minimise cell damage and improve the viability of the printed cells.
