Additive manufacturing (AM) is considered the latest technology that creates breakthrough innovations and addresses complex medical problems. This is clearly demonstrated by the promising results obtained in regenerative medicine, diagnosis, implants, artificial tissues and organs. This paper provides a basic understanding of the fundamentals of 3D/4D printing along with bioprinting processes. We are briefly discussing about the main printing systems including stereolithography, inkjet 3D printing, extrusion, laser-assisted printing, selective laser melting and Poly-Jet printing. The basic requirements for the selection of successful inks based on polymers, polymer blends, and composites are described. Furthermore, the on-going transition from 3D to 4D printing is highlighted with emphasis on the newest applications in the medical area. Also, a glimpse into the future possibilities and benefits provided by machine learning in the additive manufacturing field is emphasized. Machine learning can improve printing efficiency by using generative design and testing in the pre-fabrication stage. Finally, important limitations and prospects are identified. Within the next few years, AM is set to become an important component in patient-specific medical technologies.

Graphic Abstract

中文翻译：

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生物医学领域 3D 打印工艺的趋势：机遇与挑战。

增材制造 (AM) 被认为是创造突破性创新并解决复杂医疗问题的最新技术。再生医学、诊断、植入、人造组织和器官领域取得的有希望的结果清楚地证明了这一点。本文提供了对 3D/4D 打印基础知识以及生物打印工艺的基本了解。我们简要讨论主要的打印系统，包括立体光刻、喷墨 3D 打印、挤出、激光辅助打印、选择性激光熔化和 Poly-Jet 打印。描述了选择基于聚合物、聚合物共混物和复合材料的成功油墨的基本要求。此外，还强调了从 3D 打印到 4D 打印的持续过渡，重点关注医疗领域的最新应用。此外，还强调了机器学习在增材制造领域提供的未来可能性和好处。机器学习可以通过在预制阶段使用生成式设计和测试来提高打印效率。最后，确定了重要的局限性和前景。在未来几年内，增材制造将成为患者特定医疗技术的重要组成部分。

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