The invention relates to a microcarrier, comprising a continuous medium of a biocompatible polymer for culturing cells and having a three-dimensional scaffold architecture delineated peripherally by a continuous outer wall, in which spherical macropores are stacked to one another and interconnected by connecting pores. The continuous outer wall is formed with exposure pores at positions where it is in contact with the macropores, through which the interior of the microcarrier may be in fluid communication with the ambient culture medium. The microcarrier herein is produced by cast-molding and, therefore, has a continuous outer wall which provides additional mechanical strength while maintaining high porosity. The microcarrier thus produced is configured in the form of a basic geometrical body. The invention further relates to a cast-molding process for producing the microcarrier.

A method for producing bone grafts using 3-D printing is employed using a 3-D image of a graft location to produce a 3-D model of the graft. This is printed using a 3-D printer and a printing medium that produces a porous, biocompatible, biodegradable material that is conducive to osteoinduction. For example, the printing medium may be PCL, PLLA, PGLA, or another approved biocompatible polymer. In addition such a method may be useful for cosmetic surgeries, reconstructive surgeries, and various techniques required by such procedures. Once the graft is placed, natural bone gradually replaces the graft.

A method of additive manufacturing is comprised of providing a material comprised of a ethyl cellulose polymer having an ethoxy content of 43% to 52% by mass and a plasticizer. The material is heated and dispensed through a nozzle to form an extrudate deposited on a base. The base, nozzle or combination thereof is moved while dispensing the material so that there is horizontal displacement between the base and nozzle in a predetermined pattern to form an initial layer of the material on the base and successive layers of the material are adhered on the initial layer to form an additive manufactured part by repeating the aforementioned steps. The article formed of the ethyl cellulose polymer may be used in many applications such as those related to the pharmaceutical and food industries.

An apparatus, and a system for manufacturing a bioplastic material from a blend solution of gum arabica (GA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is provided. The apparatus includes a panel having a first end, a second end distal to the first end, and a plurality of walls extending from a periphery of the panel, the panel configured to accommodate the blend solution. The apparatus further includes a plurality of support members coupled to the first end and the second end of the panel and configured to adjust a slope angle of the panel; and one or more vibration generating units coupled to the plurality of support members and configured to vibrate the panel when the blend solution flows from the first end to the second end of the panel. A method of preparing the bioplastic material is also disclosed.

A method for producing a 3D-printed tissue substitute is disclosed, utilizing a 3D printing device including a tank including a yield stress fluid in which the material is printed, the printing material delivered by the cartridge includes polyvinyl alcohol and gelatin, the method including a step following which, after printing the material in the yield stress fluid, a printed intermediate device is solidified in the yield stress fluid by lowering the temperature of the tank. The intermediate device is removed from the tank, rinsed and dried in order to obtain the tissue substitute.

The present application relates to a composition, which comprises: (a) a photopolymerizable substance; (b) a thiol; (c) a photoinitiator; (d) a thermosensitive polymer; and (e) water, and can be used as a bio-ink for preparing a bio-hydrogel for direct-writing 3D printing. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing the composition, and a direct-writing 3D printing method using the composition.

A composition for eco-friendly crayon and a method for producing the eco-friendly crayon is disclosed. The composition comprises one or more non-toxic ingredients including soy wax, beeswax, and coloring pigment. The waxes are combined and heated in a heating chamber. The mixture is heated to form a halfway melted mixture. The coloring pigment is added to the halfway melted mixture and stirred until fully dissolved. The dissolved mixture is then poured into a mold and cooled. The cooled mixture is removed from the mold to prepare crayons for use. The crayons are made in a variety of shapes and sizes. The non-toxic ingredients are free of harmful components and prevent crayons from remaining in the user's hand. Further, a method used to prepare the non-toxic crayon uses waxes and coloring pigment without any additional ingredients, thereby providing softer crayons with high level of eco-friendly attributes.

A method of fabricating a casting, the method including applying a substrate to a sacrificial mold, the sacrificial mold including a shaped non-planar receiving surface to receive the substrate and provide a casting of the substrate having a shaped structure corresponding to the receiving surface; and subjecting the sacrificial mold and casting to freeze drying conditions and sublimating the sacrificial mold from the casting to form a cast article including the shaped non-planar structure.

A method of preparing a structure is provided. The method includes providing an initial structure; casting a first material in one or more void volumes of the initial structure; removing the initial structure from the first material; obtaining a cast structure comprising the first material; coating a second material on the cast structure; casting a third material using the coated cast structure; removing the first material; and obtaining a final structure. In various embodiments, the initial structure can include a first initial structure and a second initial structure and casting a first material in one or more first void volumes of the first initial structure and in one or more second void volumes of the second initial structure. In various embodiments, the method includes assembling the first cast structure and the second cast structure and obtaining an assembled structure comprising the first cast structure and the second cast structure.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a process which can continuously produce microneedles using a conveyor system and decomposition or vacuum. By using the microneedle production method and apparatus according to the present disclosure, continuous mass production of microneedles is available, and therefore it is possible to reduce the input of manpower and produce a large amount of products compared to the conventional production method.