“4D” Printing

Colorado researchers recently developed a method that takes 3D printing into the fourth dimension. With the help of shape memory polymers embedded into traditional composite materials, they have been able to print an object using standard 3D methods and later change it to take on a new shape.

The key is in the architecture of the fibers themselves, including their design, location and orientation within the object. This allows the degree and effect (such as folding, curling, stretching or twisting) to be controlled in a predictable manner. The materials can be engineered to change shape over time or through a variety of activation mechanisms including temperature changes or mechanical forces.

These new, adaptive materials will offer exciting possibilities for manufacturing and packaging. For example, a product could be produced in a flat configuration, changed into a more stable, compact form factor for shipment, and then reactivated to its original shape for installation.