Additive Manufacturing from a Biomedical Perspective

This work aims to present a global view of additive manufacturing, focused in biomedical area. With the evolution of technology, there has been an increasing demand for customized products, which has intensified the need for alternative manufacturing techniques. Additive manufacturing (AM) consists in the development of physical models through the deposition of layer-by-layer material from three-dimensional virtual models. About three decades ago, Fusion Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology was developed. FDM is an AM material extrusion technology, in which the material used is extruded by a nozzle. FDM has been growing, as well as the equipment and software involved, to broad applications in the field of biomedical engineering, such as the development of personalized and functional medical devices (including stents). This study presents the state of the art of 3D printing and additive manufacturing, as well as their techniques, obstacles and innovations. In addition, a stent was developed through a CAD software and it was manufactured through a 3D FDM printer using PLA.