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The purpose of this paper is to focus on the production of scaffolds with specific morphology and mechanical behavior to satisfy specific requirements regarding their stiffness, biological interactions and surface structure that can promote cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions though proper porosity, pore size and interconnectivity.

This case study was focused on the production of multi-layered hybrid scaffolds made of polycaprolactone and consisting in supporting grids obtained by Material Extrusion (ME) alternated with electrospun layers. An open source 3D printer was utilized, with a grain extrusion head that allows the production and distribution of strands on the plate according to the designed geometry. Square grid samples were observed under optical microscope showing a good interconnectivity and spatial distribution of the pores, while scanning electron microscope analysis was used to study the electrospun mats morphology.

A good adhesion between the ME and electrospinning layers was achieved by compression under specific thermomechanical conditions obtaining a hybrid three-dimensional scaffold. The mechanical performances of the scaffolds have been analyzed by compression tests, and the biological characterization was carried out by seeding two different cells phenotypes on each side of the substrates.

The structure of the multi-layered scaffolds demonstrated to play an important role in promoting cell attachment and proliferation in a 3D culture formation. It is expected that this design will improve the performances of osteochondral scaffolds with a strong influence on the required formation of an interface tissue and structure that need to be rebuilt.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on tracheal stent production with the aim of investigating the available devices and improving their performances. The biomedical field is a continuously growing area of the market always in search of the most innovative and competitive solutions for healthcare. Beside the actual critical period of the world economy, it shows continuous improvements in research and innovation.

Within a market analysis and the collaboration between engineering and biomedical research fields, it was outlined a new product concept able to satisfy the patient’s and physician’s requirements with the focus on the enhancement of the stent anchorage. As a result, the concept of a custom- or tailor-made stent was identified as a potential solution. Moreover, additive technologies were identified as the economically sustainable processes for manufacturing these innovative stents. In the present paper, different types of stents were derived from the proposed concept, they were designed, manufactured and their anchorage capability was tested. In particular, the procedures adopted for their design are described and discussed. Moreover, silicone fused deposition modelling was adopted and two types of deposition method, namely, layer-by-layer and continuous, were used to manufacture the devices identifying their pro, cons and limits. Finally, the stents were tested against migration and results were compared with one of the most widely used today.

The results show how additive manufacturing allowed to manufacture more efficient and migration resistant stents.

It is expected that this new stent design will reduce the risk of complications in stenting, as granulation, thanks to a more uniform stress distribution on the trachea tissues. These improved characteristics will allow to enhance the quality of both the product and the patient’s healthcare.