Drop-on-demand (DOD) microdroplet formation and deposition play an important role in additive manufacturing, particularly in printing of three-dimensional (3D) in vitro biological models for pharmacological and pathological studies, for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications, and for building of cell-integrated microfluidic devices. In development of a DOD based microdroplet deposition process for 3D cell printing, the droplet formation, controlled on-demand deposition and at the single-cell level, and most importantly, maintaining the viability and functionality of the cells during and after the printing are all remaining to be challenged. This report presents our recent study on developing a novel DOD based microdroplet deposition process for 3D printing by utilization of an alternating viscous and inertial force jetting (AVIFJ) mechanism. The results include an analysis of droplet formation mechanism, the system configuration, and experimental study of the effects of process parameters on microdroplet formation. Sodium alginate solutions are used for microdroplet formation and deposition. Key process parameters include actuation signal waveforms, nozzle dimensional features, and solution viscosity. Sizes of formed microdroplets are examined by measuring the droplet diameter and velocity. Results show that by utilizing a nozzle at a 45 μm diameter, the size of the formed microdroplets is in the range of 52–72 μm in diameter and 0.4–2.0 m/s in jetting speed, respectively. Reproducibility of the system is also examined and the results show that the deviation of the formed microdroplet diameter and the droplet deposition accuracy is within 6% and 6.2 μm range, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate a high controllability and precision for the developed DOD microdroplet deposition system with a potential for precise cell printing.
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June 2015
Research-Article
Alternating Force Based Drop-on-Demand Microdroplet Formation and Three-Dimensional Deposition
Long Zhao,
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Long Zhao
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Karen Chang Yan,
Karen Chang Yan
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The College of New Jersey
,Ewing
, NJ 08628
Search for other works by this author on:
Rui Yao,
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Rui Yao
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Feng Lin,
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Feng Lin
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Search for other works by this author on:
Wei Sun
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Wei Sun
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology
Technology
Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mails: weisun@tsinghua.edu.cn; sunwei@drexel.edu
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mails: weisun@tsinghua.edu.cn; sunwei@drexel.edu
1Corresponding author.
Search for other works by this author on:
Long Zhao
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Karen Chang Yan
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
The College of New Jersey
,Ewing
, NJ 08628
Rui Yao
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Feng Lin
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Wei Sun
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Biomanufacturing Center,
Tsinghua University
,Beijing 100084
, China
Biomanufacturing and Rapid Forming
Technology
Technology
Key Laboratory of Beijing
,Beijing 100084
, China
Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials
Processing Technology,
Ministry of Education,
Beijing 100084
, China
Department of Mechanical Engineering,
e-mails: weisun@tsinghua.edu.cn; sunwei@drexel.edu
Drexel University
,Philadelphia, PA 19104
e-mails: weisun@tsinghua.edu.cn; sunwei@drexel.edu
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Manufacturing Engineering Division of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING. Manuscript received April 20, 2014; final manuscript received February 9, 2015; published online March 2, 2015. Assoc. Editor: Joseph Beaman.
J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. Jun 2015, 137(3): 031009 (9 pages)
Published Online: June 1, 2015
Article history
Received:
April 20, 2014
Revision Received:
February 9, 2015
Online:
March 2, 2015
Citation
Zhao, L., Chang Yan, K., Yao, R., Lin, F., and Sun, W. (June 1, 2015). "Alternating Force Based Drop-on-Demand Microdroplet Formation and Three-Dimensional Deposition." ASME. J. Manuf. Sci. Eng. June 2015; 137(3): 031009. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4029803
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