| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立中央大學 === 機械工程研究所 === 95 === Three-dimensional scaffolds for tissue engineering provide growing structures and shapes for cells to grow into tissues. Therefore it is important to build suitable structures and appearances for cells to attach and grow. The shapes of scaffolds can be designed by applying computer-aided design or reconstructed from CT images.
This research studies the procedure and path planning algorithm for building 3D scaffolds with complicate shapes. The algorithm integrates model slicing, determination of supporting areas, path planning of injection nozzles, and communication interface with a four-axis manufacturing platform. The goal is to develop a software program to integrate the processes from design to manufacturing.
First, the orientation of the scaffold model is optimized by using genetic algorithm to reduce the manufacturing time and materials. Then, a slicing algorithm for rapid prototyping is applied to the model to generate the slices and their profile contours. The supporting area of each slicing layer is determined by minus the material area from the union of the profile contours of all slices above the current slicing layer. Finally, according to designed porous structure, the tool path points are determined by raster scanning. The coordinates of the tool path points are input to the manufacturing platform through a serial port so that the scaffold can be manufactured layer by layer.
A human ear is used as an example for verifying the above algorithms. The 3D ear model is fabricated by using tooth paste. The video taken by the microscope mounted on the machine shows the algorithms developed are capable for optimizing the procedure to fabricate scaffolds for tissue engineering.
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