Biofabrication Extruder System

Pellet-based, multi-material biofabrication extruder engineered for reliable medical-grade performance at lower cost.

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Overview

Designed and developed a pellet-based biofabrication extruder for multi-material printing on an existing bioprinter. Prioritized thermal stability, modularity, and maintainability to keep extrusion reliable while driving down cost.

Problem

Commercial biofabrication extruders are costly and often limited to single-material use. Pellet extrusion complicates thermal control, flow consistency, and maintenance-especially when swapping materials.

Solution

Created a custom pellet extruder that handles PCL, PLA, PETG, and ABS, integrates directly onto an in-house bioprinter, and simplifies cleaning. Active heating zones and optimized lead screw/barrel geometry stabilize melt behavior.

My Role

• Mechanical design and electronics integration
• Designed housing, lead screw, and barrel for controlled flow
• Developed thermal strategy and supported system validation on the bioprinter

System Architecture

• Extrusion: Pellet-based; materials: PCL, PLA, PETG, ABS
• Thermal control: Actively managed heating zones for consistent melt
• Mechanics: Custom lead screw; precision-machined barrel for flow and cleaning
• Integration: Mounted to existing in-house bioprinter

Key Engineering Challenges

• Stable thermal control across varying material properties
• Lead screw/barrel geometry for consistent extrusion and minimal clogging
• Easy cleaning/maintenance between material changes
• Compatibility with medical-grade bioprinter requirements

Validation and Performance

• Integrated and deployed on an operational bioprinter
• Reliable multi-material extrusion without frequent clogging
• In active use as part of the final product

Cost Optimization

Reduced system cost by approximately 67%, while maintaining functional and integration requirements.

Outcome

Delivered a production-ready pellet extruder that expands bioprinter capability and improves accessibility through cost reduction.

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