CHAPTER 22: The Usefulness of Direct Digital Manufacturing for Biomedical Applications
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Published:18 Jun 2018
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Special Collection: 2018 ebook collectionSeries: Green Chemistry Series
P. G. Morouço, in Intensification of Biobased Processes, ed. A. Górak and A. Stankiewicz, The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2018, pp. 478-487.
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Societies have been witnessing a constant increase in technology development. Likewise, the manufacturing process is shifting from a scope of massive production to massive customization. Thus, Direct Digital Manufacturing has emerged as a technical innovation that reduces the capital required to achieve emerging economies and breaks the current constraints, creating opportunities for companies to improve innovation, growth and performance. Its usage in biomedical applications has huge potential due to its ability to produce tailored products. This chapter highlights its use in the pharmaceutical domain, for surgical planning and training, and for tissue engineering. These areas of research can overlap the drawbacks of conventional methods in exploring advances in the design and printing processes. With constant evolution of the available (bio)materials and improved printing processes, enabling rapid production, complex geometries can be pursued. Examples are provided for each domain, demonstrating the future trends for adopting this manufacturing practice in our society.