Bioprinting, biofabrication, biomanufacturing? The need for definitions and norms in additive manufacturing in the biomedical sciences

摘要

The additive manufacturing (AM) industry has undergone tremendous growth in its history, which started in 1987 with the first commercialization of stereolithography. With a steady increase in the number of annual Patent Cooperation Treaty patents, the AM industry is poised for significant technological innovations. Further proof of this is seen in the recent exponential increase in three-dimensional (3D) printer and software companies and their range of products, with several in the low-cost market. This is creating opportunities for adoption of this technology by the consumer in a way that has never been economically feasible in the past.