Additive manufacturing of bone scaffolds using polyjet and stereolithography techniques

Abstract

In this study, the printing capability of two different additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, namely PolyJet and micro-stereolithography (μSLA), are investigated regarding the fabrication of bone scaffolds. The 3D-printed scaffold structures are used as supports in replacing and repairing fractured bone tissue. Printed bone scaffolds with complex structures produced using additive manufacturing technology can mimic the mechanical properties of natural human bone, providing lightweight structures with modifiable porosity levels. In this study, 3D scaffold structures are designed with different combinations of architectural parameters. The dimensional accuracy, permeability, and mechanical properties of complex 3D-printed scaffold structures are analyzed to compare the advantages and drawbacks associated with the two techniques. The fluid flow rates through the 3D-printed scaffold structures are measured and Darcy’s law is applied to calculate the experimentally measured permeability. The Kozeny–Carman equation is applied for theoretical calculation of permeability. Compression tests were performed on the printed samples to observe the effects of the printing techniques on the mechanical properties of the 3D-printed scaffold structures. The effect of the printing direction on the mechanical properties of the 3D-printed scaffold structures is also analyzed. The scaffold structures printed with the μSLA printer demonstrate higher permeability and mechanical properties as compared to those printed using the PolyJet technique. It is demonstrated that both the μSLA and PolyJet printing techniques can be used to print 3D scaffold structures with controlled porosity levels, providing permeability in a similar range to human bone.