Meet Design Engineer, Benjamin Filippi.
What is your role at TRICEP?
I am a Design Engineer. I am responsible for the operation of the range of additive fabrication tools we have available to us, as well as being a design engineer for different research areas and commercial projects in the medical device industry.
What is your area of expertise and what kind of experience do you have in this area?
My area of expertise would primarily be in mechanical design and manufacture, as well as in electrical hardware design. During my time as a student, I was involved in the university's FSAE team (2015-2018), allowing me to grow my mechanical engineering skills and apply them to real-world projects. During my time with the team, I developed the steering systems, designed and manufactured the University of Wollongong’s (UOW) first 10-inch suspension platform, as well as designing a range of different components for the electrical systems, chassis, engine and aerodynamics systems. I was also responsible for the operation of the team during my final two years, growing not only my technical knowledge but also management and teamwork skills.
Whilst working at TRICEP, my knowledge of design has expanded considerably, as the range of tools available for manufacturing components is so vast, allowing for far more complex components with specialised material properties to be developed compared to traditional manufacturing.
What are some of the projects and collaborations you are currently working on?
I am currently working on a range of different projects within TRICEP. Currently, the main project is with iFix Medical, where we are developing a system to treat corneal repair.
In addition, I am also working on a range of research projects, including the design of complex electrodes and electrochemical systems for CO2 reduction.
What is the future outlook of these projects?
The future outlook on most of these projects is promising, and they all have the potential to reach the ‘real world’ and impact the everyday life of citizens. You will have to read the papers when they are released to find out more! Stay tuned!
How is this work being translated into real applications?
A lot of the bioprinting projects I am involved in have been a result of the need for a real application, and how the current market solutions are not able to provide the best solution for the patient. A fantastic example of this is the BioPen (Axcelda Pen) and iFix project, as the current treatment methods for patients is not optimal, and therefore these projects have grown to allow the development and implementation of new and innovative methods to reach a wider range of patients and provide a better solution than what is available today.
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