Table 2.

Rapid prototyping (RP) and conventional methods for obtaining scaffolds for tissue engineering cartilage.

Technique	Advantages	Disadvantages
3D printing (3DP)	Possibility of using hydrogels and cells	Low precision Long-standing process Poor mechanical properties
Selective laser sintering (SLS)	Smart process High precision No need for support Construction	High temperature Rough surface
Stereolithography (SLA)	High precision Smart process Soft surface	Risk of high process temperature Untreated Material may be cytotoxic high costs
Fused deposition modeling (FDM)	Good mechanical properties	Poor precision High temperature Narrow range of parameters Limits in application to biodegradable polymers
Bioprinting	High precision Low costs High speed of printing Possibility of supporting high cell viability	Depends on the cell’s existence
Electrospinning	Standard technique for obtaining nanofibrous scaffolds	Toxicity of using solvents Depends on many factors Obtaining 3D structure or/and adequate pore sizes for biomedical applications can be problematic
Freeze-drying	Capability of controlling the pore size Possibility of obtaining high temperatures Used for multiple purposes	Toxicity when using solvents High energy consumption Irregular obtained size pores
Thermal-induced phase separation (TIPS)	Possibility of using a low temperature Very high porosity surface-to-volume ratio Scaffolds obtained from a thermoplastic crystalline polymer	Used only for thermoplastics
Solvent-casting particulate leaching (SCPL)	High porosity Low costs Can be used for fabricating thin membranes of thin-wall 3D specimens	High toxicity when using solvents Time consuming for thin membranes