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YOU CAN BUILD THE MACHINE THAT 3D PRINTS HEART TISSUE — FRESH BIOPRINTER CONVERSION FOR UNDER 900 DOLLARS

A 300 dollars desktop 3D printer becomes a collagen bioprinter for under 900 dollars total — the same class of tool that printed the first full-size model of a human heart.

by Feinberg/Shiwarski lab, Carnegie Mellon University

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

ScienceOpen-hardware

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a weekend-plus
license
CC BY 4.0
repo
repo FINISHED0 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo

Partner

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COMPAREE VERDICT

This is a complete, lab-validated bioprinter conversion published by the Carnegie Mellon team that printed the first full-size 3D model of a human heart. The FRESH method prints soft collagen inside a gelatin support bath that holds each layer in place, then melts away — the entire mechanical approach that makes sub-millimetre soft tissue structures possible. The conversion swaps the stock extruder for the open-source Replistruder 4 syringe pump, adds a heated bed insert for the gelatin bath, and repositions the Z-axis endstop. Every part is documented in the paper with photos, and the CAD is on Zenodo. The single hardest part is sourcing the gelatin and collagen precursors — the paper lists suppliers, but shipping biomaterials outside the US or EU can take weeks or require import permits. At home you print scaffolds, not living cells; tissue engineering needs incubators, sterile hoods, and cell lines. But the machine itself is identical to what hospitals research on, and costs 40 times less than the cheapest commercial unit. If you have lab access or collaborate with a university, this is the fastest route to hands-on bioprinting. If you are solo at home, you will print beautiful collagen structures with no biological function.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —Complete CAD (24 MB) for FlashForge Finder conversion and Replistruder 4 syringe extruder on Zenodo under CC BY 4.0.
  • —Full bill of materials and step-by-step conversion procedure published in open-access Scientific Reports paper (PMC9805454).
  • —No firmware modifications required — mechanical conversion only.
  • —You print collagen and hydrogel scaffolds at home; printing living tissue requires cell culture facilities not covered in the build.
  • —The base FlashForge Finder printer must be sourced separately (~$300); total conversion cost is under $900 including all custom parts.
  • —CC BY 4.0 licence permits commercial use with attribution.

Can I build this?

PrintCustom extruder mount, bath platform, and Z-axis spacers from the CAD files
BuyFlashForge Finder printer (~$300), syringe pump components (stepper, lead screw, linear rail), gelatin powder, collagen precursors, syringes, needles
Tools3D printer (for custom parts), basic hand tools, soldering iron for electronics, refrigerator for gelatin bath prep
SkillsIntermediate 3D printer experience, basic electronics assembly, willingness to source specialty biomaterials from research suppliers
TimeOne weekend for the mechanical conversion, additional time for gelatin recipe testing and first prints
Cost$$$, dominated by the base FlashForge Finder (~$300) and syringe extruder components (~$200-300); gelatin and collagen supplies vary widely by supplier
SafetyHeated bed reaches 60°C for gelatin melting. No mains voltage modifications. Collagen and gelatin are food-grade materials; syringe needles are sharp but standard lab safety applies.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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Videos

Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering video showing the FRESH bioprinter in operation

Gallery

Shiwarski et al., Scientific Reports 12:22652 (2022), CC BY 4.0
Shiwarski et al., Scientific Reports 12:22652 (2022), CC BY 4.0

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the full conversion paper (Scientific Reports open-access paper with complete build procedure, BOM, and troubleshooting)
  2. 2.Download the CAD files (24 MB Zenodo archive with FlashForge conversion parts and Replistruder 4 syringe extruder CAD)
  3. 3.Source the base printer(FlashForge Finder is discontinued but available used; budget ~$300. The paper also covers Monoprice Voxel conversion.)
  4. 4.Order syringe pump components(Stepper motor, lead screw, linear rail — the BOM in the paper lists part numbers and suppliers)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

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KNOWN ISSUES

  • The FlashForge Finder is discontinued — you will be buying used or finding new-old-stock, and prices vary. The paper also documents a Monoprice Voxel conversion if Finders dry up.
  • Collagen precursors and gelatin are specialty biomaterials. US and EU suppliers ship easily; elsewhere expect import delays or permits. The paper names suppliers but does not guarantee international availability.
  • You are printing scaffolds, not living tissue. Cells require sterile hoods, incubators, and training the build does not cover. If you lack lab access, the prints will be structurally impressive but biologically inert.
  • Gelatin bath preparation is half chemistry, half trial-and-error. The paper gives the recipe, but temperature, mixing time, and degassing all affect print quality. Expect the first few batches to fail.
  • The conversion assumes you already own a 3D printer to fabricate the custom parts. If you do not, you will need to order them from a print service or find a makerspace.
  • No official support forum exists. The paper's corresponding author email is listed, but this is a research publication, not a product with a helpdesk.

Can I print living tissue at home?

No. You print collagen scaffolds. Living cells require sterile facilities, incubators, and cell culture training not covered in this build. The machine is identical to what labs use, but the biological side needs a lab.

What if I cannot find a FlashForge Finder?

The paper also documents a Monoprice Voxel conversion with the same mechanical approach. Both printers are discontinued, so you are shopping used or surplus stock.

Where do I get collagen and gelatin?

The paper lists research suppliers (Sigma-Aldrich, Thermo Fisher). Gelatin is food-grade and widely available; collagen precursors may require a research account or university affiliation depending on your location.

Is the licence commercial-friendly?

Yes. CC BY 4.0 permits commercial use with attribution. You can build and sell these conversions, or use the machine commercially, as long as you credit the original authors.

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Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

The paper lists gelatin and collagen suppliers, but international shipping can be a maze — what is the biomaterial sourcing situation where you are?

CompareeTEAM5d agoedited

Practical notes from our verification: the project homepage (3dbioprint.org/bioprinter) hosts the overview and links to Zenodo and the paper, but there is no GitHub repo — all files are on Zenodo under doi 10.5281/zenodo.7496012. The FlashForge Finder is discontinued, so you are buying used; budget varies but $300 is realistic. The biggest non-obvious hurdle is biomaterial sourcing: gelatin is easy, but collagen precursors often ship only to research institutions, and international orders can require import permits. The paper names suppliers but does not guarantee global availability. Photo note, 22 August 2026: this page had no images. We added 2 photographs of this specific build, each credited above; nothing here is a stock shot or another project.

Feinberg/Shiwarski lab, Carnegie Mellon University

This conversion was published by the Carnegie Mellon bioengineering team that developed the FRESH bioprinting method and printed the first full-size 3D model of a human heart. The open-source release brings the same technique within reach of small labs and serious makers.

Web

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DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
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