A G-Code-Derived Wireframe Finite Element Approach for Modelling the Compressive Behaviour of Bioprinted Scaffolds

Accurately predicting the mechanical behaviour of bioprinted scaffolds is essential for load-bearing tissueengineering applications.However, their porous, heterogeneous internal architecture makes continuum solid-mesh finite element (FE) simulation computationally expensive.Existing lattice-or beam-based alternatives reduce this cost but typically idealise the scaffold's internal topology rather than deriving it from the as-printed geometry.This work extends a G-codederived wireframe FE framework, previously validated in threepoint bending, to uniaxial compression.The model was validated against original experimental compression data from 75% and 100% infill bioprinted scaffolds.The Young's modulus was first calibrated on the 100% infill samples and subsequently applied-without refitting-to the structurally distinct 75% infill scaffolds, closely matching their experimental stiffness and overall mechanical response.A parallel solid-mesh comparison underscored the substantial computational burden posed by porous scaffold geometries, highlighting the efficiency of the proposed approach.By enabling mechanically grounded, experimentally validated compression simulations on standard computing hardware, this framework facilitates the rapid computational screening of scaffold designs for load-bearing tissue engineering.