Modular fabrication systems and methods

• US 7,939,003 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University)
• Original Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation Incorporated (Cornell University)
• Inventors: Cohen, Daniel L., Lipson, Hod, Malone, Evan, Bonassar, Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Daniels; Matthew J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MINSKEY, JACOB T
• Application Number:
  US11/201,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20060160250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,099 Days
• Field of Search: 438/1, 118/708, 264/308
• US Class Current: 264/308
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 2020/253 Coating food items by printing onto them; Printing layers of food products
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2430/10 for reconstruction of tendons or ligaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/20 Polysaccharides
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/36 containing ingredients of undetermined constitution or reaction products thereof , e.g. transplant tissue, natural bone, extracellular matrix isolated natural compounds, e.g. collagen A61L27/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/3817 Cartilage-forming cells, e.g. pre-chondrocytes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/44 having a macromolecular matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/52 Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/54 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L27/227 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/30 Platforms or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/38 Housings, e.g. machine housings
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/50 Means for feeding of material, e.g. heads
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/82 Combination of additive manufacturing apparatus or devices with other processing apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/90 Means for process control, e.g. cameras or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/386 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/393 for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7532 Artificial members, protheses
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 : Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/00 : Auxiliary operations or equipment, e.g. for material handling
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 : Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/02 : for controlling or regulating additive manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 : Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 : Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency

Abstract

The present invention relates to an article fabrication system having a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article, and a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving one of the material deposition tools. A system controller is operably connected to the material deposition device to control operation of the material deposition device. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating an article using the system of the invention and a method of fabricating a living three-dimensional structure.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a three dimensional article, said method comprising:

providing an article fabrication system comprising;

a plurality of material deposition tools containing one or more materials useful in fabricating the article;

a material deposition device having a tool interface for receiving said material deposition tools, the tool interface of said material deposition device being movable in various paths, including curvilinear and/or non-planar paths, relative to a substrate to dispense material from the material deposition tools to the substrate, wherein all of the plurality of material deposition tools have an orifice through which material is deposited where the orifice is of a size less than the substrate'"'"'s width;

a system controller operably connected to said material deposition device to control operation of said material deposition device; and

a tool rack comprising tool mounts, wherein the tool rack is suitable for holding the plurality of material deposition tools or components thereof on said tool mounts and

dispensing material from said material deposition tools taken from tool rack and mounted on the tool interface of said material deposition device, in amounts and at positions on the substrate in response to instructions from said system controller, whereby a three dimensional article is fabricated on the substrate.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said material deposition device comprises a machine-operated positioning system for moving the tool interface relative to the substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material deposition device comprises a Cartesian coordinate gantry.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is mounted on a moveable support.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more of said material deposition tools are selected from the group consisting of fusible-material extrusion tools, ink jet tools, spray tools, and cartridge holding tools capable of receiving modular material cartridges.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more of said material deposition tools is a cartridge holding tool capable of receiving modular material cartridges, the cartridge holding tool comprising a volumetrically controlled dispensing system.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the modular material cartridges comprise:

sensors for monitoring thermo/physical conditions of the material, wherein the sensors are operably connected to said system controller and/or

actuators for maintaining or altering thermo/physical conditions of the material, wherein the actuators are operably connected to said system controller.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the cartridge is a syringe cartridge.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said material deposition tool comprises a linear actuator connected to the syringe cartridge.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the system controller is operably connected to one or more of said material deposition tools.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein said material deposition tool further comprises sensors for detecting structures on the substrate, said sensors being operably connected to said system controller.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sensors communicate information to said system controller to adapt and/or modify said dispensing.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said material deposition tool further comprises:

an actuator capable of maintaining or altering thermo/physical conditions of the material, said actuator being operably connected to said system controller.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:

maintaining or altering the thermo/physical conditions of the material before, during, or after said dispensing.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein said substrate comprises a calibration device in electrical communication with said system controller.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fabrication system further comprises:

one or more modules attachable to the substrate, wherein said modules have a receptacle capable of receiving material dispensed from the material deposition tool.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the receptacle is contained in an enclosure.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said modules are capable of achieving a controlled environment.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the enclosure is permeable or non-permeable.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the enclosure comprises:

an access port through which material from the material deposition tool is dispensed into the receptacle.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the enclosure is a hermetically sealed envelope.

22. The method according to claim 16, wherein the receptacle is configured to receive a liquid, a gas, and/or a solid.

23. The method according to claim 16, wherein the module comprises:

one or more sensors in electrical communication with said system controller.

24. The method according to claim 16, wherein the module comprises:

an actuator capable of maintaining or altering thermo/physical conditions of the receptacle, said actuator being operably connected to the system controller.

25. The method according to claim 24 further comprising:

monitoring and/or altering the thermo/physical conditions of the dispensed material.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein said altering comprises curing the dispensed material.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fabrication system further comprises:

a transfer device capable of moving the plurality of material deposition tools or components thereof between the tool interface of said material deposition device and the tool mounts of said tool rack, wherein said transfer device is operably connected to said system controller.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein said transfer device is a robotic arm.

29. The method according to claim 27 further comprising:

transferring said one or more deposition tools or components thereof between the tool interface of said material deposition device and the tool mounts of said tool rack with said transfer device in response to instructions from said system controller.

30. The method according to claim 1, wherein the system is enclosed in a chamber capable of achieving a controlled environment.

31. The method according to claim 1, wherein the article is a living tissue.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the material is a hydrogel comprising seeded cells.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the hydrogel is an alginate gel.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the hydrogel further comprises a cross-linking compound.

35. The method according to claim 32, wherein the cells are of a single cell type.

36. The method according to claim 32, wherein the cells are chondrocytes.

37. The method according to claim 32, wherein the cells are of more than one cell type.

38. The method according to claim 32, wherein said dispensing is carried out under sterile conditions.

39. The method according to claim 32 further comprising:

incubating the article under conditions effective to grow the cells.

40. The method according to claim 32, wherein the material further comprises:

a growth factor.

41. The method according to claim 31 further comprising:

determining geometry and cell distribution of the article prior to said dispensing and

programming said system controller with instructions effective to cause said dispensing to produce an article with a desired geometry and cell distribution.

42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the geometry is free-form.

43. The method according to claim 41, wherein the geometry is an anatomic shape.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the anatomic shape is patient-specific.

45. The method according to claim 41, wherein said determining is carried out by generating a computerized scan of a tissue/organ to be replaced.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the computerized scan is achieved by computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

47. The method according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing comprises simultaneously dispensing two or more materials from said material deposition tools.