Revolutionizing Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Advances and Challenges of 3D Printing System and Control

TL;DR

This paper reviews how 3D printing advances are transforming pharmaceutical manufacturing by enabling personalized, complex drug forms, while discussing recent technological progress, challenges, and future prospects for industry adoption.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of recent developments, challenges, and future directions of additive manufacturing in pharmaceutical production.

Findings

Advancements in drop-on-demand printing and UV curable inks.

Opportunities for cost reduction and decentralized manufacturing.

Persistent challenges in scalability, reproducibility, and regulation.

Abstract

The advent of 3D printing has transformed the pharmaceutical industry, enabling precision drug manufacturing with controlled release profiles, dosing, and structural complexity. Additive manufacturing (AM) addresses the growing demand for personalized medicine, overcoming limitations of traditional methods. This technology facilitates tailored dosage forms, complex geometries, and real-time quality control. Recent advancements in drop-on-demand printing, UV curable inks, material science, and regulatory frameworks are discussed. Despite opportunities for cost reduction, flexibility, and decentralized manufacturing, challenges persist in scalability, reproducibility, and regulatory adaptation. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the current state of AM in pharmaceutical manufacturing, exploring recent developments, challenges, and future directions for mainstream integration.