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Título del libro: Ifmbe Proceedings
Título del capítulo: More Resolution with Few Money: Presenting the Modification of a 3D Commercial Printer Intended for the Fabrication of Hydrogel Scaffolds with Complex Structures

Autores UNAM:
FRANCISCO MANUEL SANCHEZ AREVALO;
Autores externos:

Idioma:

Año de publicación:
2026
Palabras clave:

Bioprinting; Extrusion-based bioprinting; Hydrogel bioprinting; Low-cost bioprinter; Low-costs; Pluronic F-127; Pluronics; Scaffold fabrication


Resumen:

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2026.3D bioprinting is an emerging technology with great potential in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and preclinical research. However, the high cost of these devices limits their acquisition and implementation, hindering broader adoption. This work presents the modification of a commercial 3D printer (Zmorph Fab) to convert it into a low-cost hydrogel bioprinter capable of fabricating three-dimensional scaffolds with customizable resolutions. The Thick Paste Extruder Toolhead (TPET) module was adapted by designing and printing components that allow the use of a syringe as a bioink cartridge. Pluronic F127 was used as a model hydrogel, and Cura Slicer was utilized for the precise configuration of printing parameters. Print quality was evaluated through single-layer extrusion tests and three-dimensional scaffold fabrication, using different needle gauges and flow rates, with optical microscopy image analysis to measure line width, resolution, and fidelity. The results showed that filament quality and uniformity strongly depend on the relationship between extrusion flow and needle diameter, with optimal configurations identified for each case. The modified system proved to be functional, cost-effective (approximately $50), and capable of producing structures with dimensional fidelity exceeding 90%, as well as a line width as fine as 240 microns; this represents a 1000% improvement compared to the original TPET resolution (2 to 4 mm). Making it an accessible alternative for resource-limited institutions interested in biomanufacturing applications, with potential for future improvements.


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