I just massively modified a Makergear M2 to work as a tissue growth substrate printer.
The hot FDM extruder had to go and was replaced with something um, proprietary. In this case we jet out a bio-polymer monomer mixed with Sodium Alginate, which gets cured by a light spray of Calcium Chloride. The alginate gets jetted onto a plate at -30'C to freeze it before we cure it.
Of course the standard printer OS was a bit unfriendly to all the new controls needed, so we're running GRBL, which is wonderful, but very basic. Makergear bent to over backwards to help us, and the next stage is to add an industrial inkjet nozzle to precisely distribute groups of cells onto the 3D model.
Our other printer in the department is a M2 assigned to the department robotics club, and we have something like 130 printers on campus.
If you think you have not had something similar to Sodium Alginate with Calcium Chloride in your life, well, you have probably ate it, if you like "gummy" or rubbery candies. I'd rather have the ones made from Alginate then the ones made from gelatin from pork fat scraps...
Our mix is very similar but more porous, with a much higher viscosity.
Despite working on this for a year, I feel like I know next to nothing on 3D printing.
We mainly use it for testing prototypes before we have them made in metal. However any student or staff member can go to the University Library and have small objects made for free.
Steve
Last edited by mixedgas; 06-21-2019 at 07:57.
Qui habet Christos, habet Vitam!
I should have rented the space under my name for advertising.
When I still could have...