Additive manufacturing of biomaterials

Additive Manufacturing (AM) encompasses a wide set of technologies characterized by freeform design, low production times and waste minimization. The possibility to manufacture personalized devices offered by AM is a promising feature in the clinical scenario, where the donor shortage for organ transplantation and the lack of fully effective systems for drug administration still represent a major issue. The present work focuses on the processability of different biomaterials, from metals to hydrogels, via AM methodologies and on the basic principles of the most relevant techniques, including laser-based and extrusion-based fabrication processes. Current biomedical applications of these technologies, especially in the field of Tissue Engineering and Drug Delivery, will also be reviewed.