A Melt Electrowriting Toolbox for Automated G‐Code Generation and Toolpath Correction of Flat and Tubular Constructs

Abstract

AbstractDespite the growing significance of generating highly porous, high‐precision 3D printed scaffolds using melt electrowriting (MEW), the absence of easy‐to‐use and robust design and g‐code generation tools hinders its effectiveness and widespread adoption. This article introduces a versatile scaffold design workflow for MEW fabrication, drawing on learnings in scaffold design and fabrication optimization from pioneers in the field and unifies innovative approaches into one user‐friendly platform. The application contains a library of validated flat and tubular patterns, as well as incorporating automated solutions to common challenges such as scaffold dimension fitting and toolpath corrections previously reported in the literature and historically challenging to deploy into new g‐codes. Available to users via GitHub, this application readily generates a g‐code that compensates for MEW fiber lag across diverse geometries on a variety of flat and cylindrical collectors. The application's capabilities are demonstrated through proof‐of‐concept prints, including layer‐shifting strategies, and their effects on scaffold mechanical properties. By integrating design flexibility, layer‐shifting strategies, and advanced visualization, this application streamlines the MEW scaffold design process, offering a valuable tool for researchers and promises to both advance the field and enable greater access to tools required to produce high‐quality, reproducible scaffolds.