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PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE

A Perspective on Using Machine Learning in 3D

Bioprinting

Chunling Yu , Jingchao Jiang 2*
1
1 Faculty of Maritime and Transportation, Ningbo University, Ningbo 315211, China
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand

Abstract: Recently, three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies have been widely applied in industry and our daily lives.
The term 3D bioprinting has been coined to describe 3D printing at the biomedical level. Machine learning is currently
becoming increasingly active and has been used to improve 3D printing processes, such as process optimization, dimensional
accuracy analysis, manufacturing defect detection, and material property prediction. However, few studies have been found
to use machine learning in 3D bioprinting processes. In this paper, related machine learning methods used in 3D printing are
briefly reviewed and a perspective on how machine learning can also benefit 3D bioprinting is discussed. We believe that
machine learning can significantly affect the future development of 3D bioprinting and hope this paper can inspire some ideas
on how machine learning can be used to improve 3D bioprinting.

Keywords: 3D printing, Bioprinting, Machine learning

*Corresponding Author: Jingchao Jiang, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
jjia547@aucklanduni.ac.nz

Received: November 24, 2019; Accepted: December 23, 2019; Published Online: January 24, 2020
Citation: Yu C, Jiang J, 2020, A perspective on using machine learning in 3D bioprinting. Int J Bioprint, 6(1):253.
DOI: 10.18063/ijb.v6i1.253

1 Introduction bioprinting is similar to 3D printing that uses a
layer-by-layer method to deposit materials [12-14] .
Currently, three-dimensional (3D) printing The raw materials used in 3D bioprinting are
technologies have been widely applied in many bio-inks, rather than polymer, metal or ceramic in
fields, including aerospace, medicine, industry, traditional 3D printing processes . 3D bioprinting
[15]
and esthetic [1-3] . The process of 3D printing can create tissue-like structures that can be utilized
starts from the bottom to the top of a product in in tissue or medical engineering fields.
a point-by-point and layer-by-layer manner [4-8] . Currently, there are five major bioprinting
It is an additive process that adds materials techniques available, including stereolithography-
gradually until the whole part is fabricated. based, inkjet, extrusion-based, and laser-assisted
Figure 1a shows a typical extrusion-based 3D bioprinting. The details of these techniques have
printing process to manufacture a component. 3D been described . Among them, extrusion-based
[16]
bioprinting is a process that uses 3D printing-like bioprinting is the most common technique.
technologies to fabricate biomedical parts that Figure 1b shows the typical three extrusion-
consist of biomaterials, growth factors and cells, based bioprinting processes. The difference
with the aim of maximally imitating natural tissue among them is the type of force that can be
characteristics [9-11] . The fabrication process of 3D either air pressure (pneumatic dispensing), direct

© 2020 Yu and Jiang. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the
original work is properly cited.
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