APPLICATION OF 3D PRINTING IN BENCH PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH

Objective. This project was conducted to find a customizable, cost-effective alternative to purchasing current bench laboratory equipment utilizing 3D printing. Background. With the high cost of scientific equipment, along with decreases in funding, current scientific advances balance the price of materials with the potential for results. The need for cheap and reliable tools lends itself easily to the current advances in 3D printing. Through the use of filaments and customizable designs, 3D printing evades the cost associated with manufacturing on the industrial scale. Moreover, utilizing computer-aided design (CAD) Software, 3D printing aids scientists with the sharing of protocols and instruments with other laboratories. Methods. Laboratory equipment including brain cutting matrices, slide grips, and microscope slide holders were designed with Tinkercad, a free CAD software program, and created using a 3D printer. These tools were then compared to the industrially 40 produced unit sale equivalent both financially and practically. Results. 3D printed tools provide a cheap alternative to normally expensive equipment. Additionally, the ability to customize tools gives the 3D printed instruments a practical advantage over their stock counterparts. Conclusion. The dissemination of the tools made by the 3D printer can ultimately reduce cost and expand creativity of the scientist while increasing productivity within a laboratory setting. Moreover, 3D printing is limited only by the selected extruding fiber as well as the creativity of the designer. Grants. N/A