Equipment for developing a novel solid freeform fabrication (SFF) workstation to produce anatomically shaped biodegradable scaffolds with heterogeneous internal architectures

该研究工具和仪器（RTI）提案旨在购买几个组件，以建立一个新型的固体自由形状制造工作站，用于制造具有异质内部结构的可生物降解支架/基板。在这个新颖的工作站中结合所需的组件，通过实现以下功能，为解剖学形状的支架/基板的制造增加了一个新的维度：(i)在支架/基板上加入不同尺寸的粉末，（ii）创造保形通道，（iii）在期望的方向上创造可控的、预先确定的孔隙分布，（iv）在支架/基板生产过程中控制压实力，(v)在非平面表面上选择性地注射聚合物元素和纳米颗粒，以及（vi）插入牺牲孔隙材料以控制支架/基质所需区域的宏观孔隙度水平。

This Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) proposal aims at purchasing several components to establish a novel solid freeform fabrication workstation employed in the manufacturing of biodegradable scaffolds/substrates with heterogeneous internal architectures. Incorporation of the requested components in this novel workstation adds a new dimension to the fabrication of anatomically-shaped scaffolds/substrates by enabling the following capabilities: (i) incorporation of variable powder sizes across scaffolds/substrates, (ii) creation of conformal passages, (iii) creation of controlled, pre-determined porosity distribution in desired orientations, (iv) control of compaction force during the production of scaffolds/substrates, (v) selective injection of polymeric elements and nano-particles on non-planar surfaces, and (vi) insertion of a sacrificial porogen material to control the level of macro-porosity in desired regions of the scaffolds/ substrates.