PRJ // 0022022–2023BIOFAB
Biofabrication Extruder System
Pellet-based, multi-material biofabrication extruder engineered for reliable medical-grade performance at lower cost.
Timeline5 months · 2022–2023
RoleMechanical design & electronics integration
SkillsExtrusion mechanics · Thermal · Cost-down
Outcome67% cost cut · Multi-material reliability
3D Model
MODEL // Extruder.glb
DRAG TO ROTATE · SCROLL TO ZOOM
GLTF · LAZY-LOADED
WebGL required · Falls back to poster on unsupported devices
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.
The 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.
My Approach
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. Designed housing, lead screw, and barrel for controlled flow.
Key Results
Integrated and deployed on an operational bioprinter. Reliable multi-material extrusion without frequent clogging. Reduced system cost by approximately 67% while maintaining functional and integration requirements. In active use as part of the final product.
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