Biomedical 3D printing finds a home at CDME

The future of 3D printing for biomedical applications resides at Ohio State’s Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence (CDME). 

Bridging the gap between additive manufacturing and biomedical sciences, CDME now houses its biomedical 3D printing capabilities in a centralized space. 

“We recognized an increasing need from the biomedical sciences community for 3D printing services, so that’s why we wanted to offer a dedicated space,” Xu Zhang, a project engineer at CDME, said. “We’ve always had some 3D printing capabilities, but they’ve been focused on a range of fields — like aerospace and automotive.”

CDME is a 3D printing destination for university and industry partners alike. The center, which is located on Ohio State’s West Campus, offers a full-service environment where individuals or groups can execute 3D printing projects. A team of engineers with additive manufacturing expertise is also based at CDME and accessible to all users. 

“One of our primary goals at CDME is to help students, faculty, and clinicians across campus, as well as industry representatives,” Zhang continued. “This space is available as a user facility, so individuals can come here and receive training to use the printers and associated software. Or we have a team that can come to you to learn about your needs.

“Doctors have come to us interested in printing a model for their surgical planning. After we learn more about their needs, we then print what they need and deliver the model.”

The newly introduced lab houses all the hardware and software resources needed to print biomedical applications. Three printers are part of that equation, including an Ultimaker S5, a Formlabs Form 2, and a bioprinter. With these devices, users can print plastics or filament, initiate intricate detailing with laser printing, or print soft materials such as tissue.

“With these three printers, we can print every material that’s needed for biomedical purposes,” Zhang said.

Software is also accessible to convert images into a 3D model. For example, a 3D model from an MRI scan can be developed and printed at CDME. 

And, according to Zhang, the potential impact of those offerings is profound. 

“We can use these 3D printing methods to make biomedical devices,” Zhang shared. “But we can also use it for anatomical modeling that can be used by doctors and clinicians to help plan procedures and communicate with patients.

“My interest in the longterm is to improve patient health. By applying 3D printing to the medical field, we can save operational time, cut costs, and help improve clinical quality.”

This vision also aligns with CDME’s mission to stay ahead of ever-changing workforce demands by offering experiential learning opportunities to undergraduate students. 

“This space is especially valuable for biomedical engineering students who are interested in studying 3D modeling and medical 3D printing,” Zhang shared. “Studies show there is a great need out there for biomedical engineers in the next five to 10 years. Here they can learn and actually practice the skills needed in that role.”

Are you interested in accessing CDME’s biomedical 3D printing capabilities? Let’s connect.