Guillaume Feliksdal, Co-Founder says,
“The BIOprinter has been designed to
be the ultimate bio research instrument
but in a cost-effective package. It has
been developed alongside the brightest
minds in the bioprinting sector, and we
partnered with training4crm and the
Technical University of Denmark (DTU), and
received funding from the European Union
Horizon 2020 Programme to develop the
BIOprinter.
Uniquely, the BIOprinter combines dual
sterilizable printheads which have a
modular design for easy changeovers,
and separate heads are available to print
different bioinks at the same time. This
integrates different material properties into
a single scaffold structure.”
FELIXprinters has worked closely with the
Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
on bioprinting applications of 3D printing.
Heading the research was Hakan Gürbüz,
who explains the foundation of the work
he is undertaking.
“The aim of the BIOprinter that we have
developed with FELIXprinters is to allow
the printing of scalable and perfusable
hybrid scaffold structures, incorporating in
the same structure at least two different
material properties. For this purpose,
we developed a hybrid 3D printing
platform that enables the printing of 3D
scaffolds with dual material properties (e.g.
mechanical [soft/medium/hard], conductive
or biological) and perfusable micro-
channel networks, enabling the continuous
supply of oxygen, nutrients, and necessary
factors to cells growing and differentiating
throughout the scaffold.”
3D printing has many advantages over
conventional approaches to building
scaffolds, not least its ability to position
the cells precisely. Currently, there are
three different classes of bioprinters that
are used for deposition and patterning
of biological materials including inkjet,
micro-extrusion, and laser-assisted
printing options. Each of these bioprinters
has unique methods of depositing 3D
cell structures with good resolution and
viability. The FELIX BIOprinter is a micro-
extrusion bioprinter, which makes it very
simple to use.
The FELIX BIOprinter is
appropriate for all types
of bioprinting research,
and is equipped with
strong motors that
can extrude a range of
different viscosity of
materials.
many droplets of bioink by applying
pressure — either pneumatically or
mechanically — to force the bioink from a
syringe.”
“These strings are deposited in
2-dimensional layers (as directed by the
CAD-CAM software), and served as the
base for the subsequent layers while the
stage is moved up the z-axis, resulting
in the formation of a 3D structure. Micro-
extrusion bioprinters are compatible with
a wider selection of bioink including high
viscosity materials such as hydrogels,
biocompatible copolymers, and cell
spheroids.”
Effectively, the BIOprinter consists of
an adaptable and flexible ecosystem to
ensure that it can meet a wide range of
researchers’ needs without generating
unnecessary costs. One major advantage
is the source control system which
enables the user to use standard slicing
software and make changes themselves if
needed. Also, syringes are not restricted
to expensive brand-specific or in-house
produced products that essentially drive
up operating costs. The machine instead
has been designed to use a standard 5ml
syringe, and standardized petri dishes and
culture plates, so there are no limitations
on auxiliary parts and materials.
The FELIX BIOprinter is appropriate for
all types of bioprinting research, and is
equipped with strong motors that can
extrude a range of different viscosity of
materials. In addition, the BIOprinter has
been designed to be easily upgradeable,
which means that the lifecycle of the
machine can be extended without
compromising quality, reliability, and
productivity.
The platform has automatic bed levelling
through the use of a unique probing
system which results in a completely
accurate first layer, which means a high
quality end result. It also retracts with a
highly precise motor for better dosage or
materials and more accurate material flow
versus alternative air pressure systems.
SUMMARY
Given its interdisciplinary nature, 3D
bioprinting is accelerating at an ever-
increasing rate. It’s exciting times,
but we need to be careful to temper
our expectations of this technology
with the realities. The human body
is incredibly complex, and trying to
replicate the many things that it does is
difficult. Those working in the field are
making advances every day, in both the
technology and in their understanding of
how it can be used and improved. There is
no doubt that the future of medicine will be
very different with bioprinting involved, and
the FELIX BIOprinter is perfectly positioned
to cater for the spike in demand in the
coming years as research in this area
continues to expand.
Wilgo Feliksdal explains how micro-
extrusion printers work. “Micro-
extrusion bioprinters usually consist of
a temperature-controlled biomaterial
dispensing system, a stage capable of
moving in the x, y, and z directions, light
illuminated deposition area for photo-
initiator activation, and a video camera for
x-y-z command. Unlike other bioprinters,
the micro-extrusion bioprinter generates
a continuous string of bioink rather than
For further information, please visit www.felixprinters.com
Issue 44 PECM
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