Description

The large volume extruder (LVE) was developed by Kira Pusch and TJ Hinton in the Regenerative Biomaterials & Therapeutics Group, lead by Prof Adam Feinberg at Carnegie Mellon University. The LVE is a syringe pump that is compatible with low-cost, open source 3D printers. Key aspects of the LVE include: (1) it is open source and compatible with open source hardware and software, making it inexpensive and widely accessible to the 3D printing community, (2) it utilizes a standard 60 mL syringe as its ink reservoir, effectively increasing print volume of the average bioprinter, (3) it is capable of retraction and high speed movements, and (4) it can print fluids using nozzle diameters as small as 100 μm, enabling the printing of complex shapes/objects when used in conjunction with the freeform reversible embedding of suspended hydrogels (FRESH) 3D printing method. Complete instructions for printing, building and using the LVE are available in the open-access publication in the Journal Hardware X at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ohx.2018.02.001 A video showing step-by-step instructions for assembling the LVE is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy11gkKKrqw