Integrating pressure sensor control into semi-solid extrusion 3D printing to optimize medicine manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Process Analytical Technology

Background:

• Semi-solid extrusion (SSE) is a 3D printing (3DP) technique used in pharmaceutical manufacturing for clinical studies.
• Integrating in-line quality control is crucial for the clinical adoption of SSE 3DP.
• Process Analytical Technology (PAT) can monitor printing conditions and material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To integrate a pressure sensor into an SSE pharmaceutical 3D printer.
• To characterize feedstock materials and monitor the printing process in situ.
• To explore the potential of pressure sensing for quality by design (QbD) in pharmaceutical 3DP.

Main Methods:

• Tested three materials (vaseline, gel, paste) with varying consistencies.
• Varied printing conditions including flow rate, temperature, and nozzle diameter (12 conditions total).
• Integrated a pressure sensor into the SSE 3D printer for real-time data acquisition.

Main Results:

• Enabled in-situ characterization of rheological properties for the first time.
• Identified temperature-dependent, plastic, and viscoelastic behaviors of the materials.
• Demonstrated the potential for pressure sensing as a PAT tool for SSE 3DP.

Conclusions:

• Pressure sensing offers a novel method for characterizing pharmaceutical inks used in SSE 3DP.
• This approach supports a Quality by Design (QbD) strategy for high-fidelity printing.
• Facilitates advanced quality control and the development of personalized medicine through 3DP.