GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE

PALAKKAD

VISION

To be a centre of excellence in engineering education for providing valuable

resources to industries and society.

MISSION
 Providing quality education in engineering and technology
 Involving in the development of society through technology transfer, entrepreneurship
and industry interaction
 To inculcate social responsibility and ethical values among students through value
education

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

VISION

“To be a centre of academic excellence imparting necessary knowledge and skills

in the field of Electronics to enable students for higher education, employment and
entrepreneurship”.

MISSION

 Grooming the students with strong foundations of Electronics Engineering and

facilitating them to pursue higher education.
 Imparting knowledge and training for current and advanced technology in the field
of Electronics.
 Providing facilities to students for familiarizing with employment and
entrepreneurship opportunities.

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 ABSTRACT

3D printing has gained immerse popularity since its introduction and

finds application in area such as prototyping, engineering and medical field largely due to its
advantage of being able to quickly and inexpensively transform computer 3D files into
physical objects. 3D printing has the capability of printing geometrically fixed structures
which are static and not suited for multifunctional use. 4D printing was developed when
researches combined smart materials and 3D printing. 4D printing uses the fourth dimension
of time to create shape morphing 3D printed objects when exposed to stimuli after using
conversional 3D printing technology such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) and Selective
Laser Sintering (SLS). 4D printed materials respond to stimuli such as pH, humidity and
temperature to activate the 3D printed components without electronics or motors. There has
been a lot of research done on smart materials capable of sensing external stimuli and
responding to it. Capable of sensing external stimuli and responding to it. In this paper 4D
printing is reviewed according to activation stimuli and the uses of this technology are
explored. 4D printing has the prospective to simplify the design and manufacturing of
different products and has the vast potential to create parts that self-actuate are in areas such
as biomedical devices, security, fabrications of patterned surfaces of optical and structures
with multi directional properties.

[2]
CONTENTS

SI NO TOPICS PAGE
NO

1 INTRODUCTION 4

2 3D PRINTING 5

3 4D PRINTING 5

4 FUNDAMENTALS OF 4D PRINTING 6

5 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 3D AND 4D PRINTING 7

6 SMART MATERIALS 10

7 PROPERTIES OF SMART MATERIALS 12

8 4D PRINTING PROCESS 14

9 SHAPE MEMORY EFFECT 14

10 APPLICATIONS AND FUTURE SCOPE 19

11 CONCLUSION 24

12 REFERENCE 25

[3]
 INTRODUCTION

4 Dimensional printing (4D Printing) uses the same techniques of 3D

printing through computer programmed deposition of material in successive layers to create a
three dimensional object. However, 4D printing adds the dimension of transformation over
time. It is therefore a type of programmable matter, where in after the fabrication process, the
printed product reacts with parameters within the environment (humidity, temperature, etc…)
and changes its form accordingly. The ability to do so arises from the near infinite
configuration at a micrometer resolution, creating solids with engineered molecular spatial
distribution and thus allowing unprecedented multifunctional performance.

3D printing is a well known additive manufacturing technology that allows researchers,

manufactures, and private uses to fabricate custom 3D objects using computer software such
as computer aided design (CAD). Due to the help customizable nature of 3D printing it has
found use in a number of fields such as fabrication of fashion jewelers, polymer printed
textiles, super capacitors, mechanical met materials and sensors, bio hybrid robotics and
tissue scaffolds, several additive manufacturing technologies have been developed for
processing pure polymers and polymer nanocomposites such as stereolithographic (SL),
digital light projection (DLP), direct inkjet and extrusion based printing as well as liquid
deposition modeling (LDM). They enables less expensive free form fabrication of complex,
customized and multi-scale 3D geometries for application in a vast range of field , from
tissue engineering scaffolds to strain and skin like sensors.

The introduction of smart materials which are responsive to external stimuli has found are in
shape recovery, sensors and actuators 3D printing technology has been used to make static
structures from digital data in 3D coordinates, 4d printing adds the concept of change in the
printed configuration over time, dependent on environment stimuli. Shape morphing systems
can be found in many areas including smart textiles, autonomous robotics, biomedical
devices, drug delivery and tissue engineering. The nature analogs of such systems are
exemplified by mastic plant motions, where a variety of organs such as tendrils, bracts,
leaves and flowers respond to environmental stimuli such as humidity, light or touch by
carrying internal torpor, which leads to dynamic conformations governed by tissue
composition and micro structural anisotropy of cell walls. 4D printing is inspired by these
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biotechnical systems. 4D has the economic, environmental, geopolitical, and strategic
implications of additive manufacturing while providing new and unprecedented capabilities
in transforming digital information of the virtual world into physical objects of the material
objects to change form and function after they are produced, there by intelligent materials
become a key issue in this technology. This paper reviews the development and capabilities
of the 4D printing technology and investigates its applications and suggests its future impact.

3D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

3D printing or additive manufacturing is a process of making three

dimensional solid objects from a digital file.

The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using additive processes. In an additive

process an object is created by laying down successive layers of material until the object is
created. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the
eventual object.

3D printing is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing which is cutting out / hollowing out
a piece of metal or plastic with for instance a milling machine.

3D printing enables you to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional
manufacturing methods.

4D PRINTING TECHNOLOGY

It has been more than 30 year since the first patent was issued for
Sterolithography Apparatus (SLA) invented by Charles (Chuck) Hall in 1980’s initially
known as rapid prototyping technology, with further advancement now called additive
manufacturing or 3D printing technology. Now days, 3D printing machine is used not just in
industry for production but also in school, households and offices. As the price for normal
desktop 3D printers has below 1000 euro, affordable price allows unlimited opportunities for
individual to print their own customized toys, household’s appliances and tools.

[5]
However, there is always something more than can be done with the ongoing technology. 3D
printed materials can be more flexible and useful, the structures can be more flexible and
useful, the structures of the material can transform in a preprogrammed way in response to
any external stimulus. In general, self changing structure of 3D printed part after post process
is called 4D printing process.

The term 4D printing is developed in collaboration between MIT’s self-assembly lab and
Stratays education and R&D department. In February 2013, Skylar Tibbits, co-directed
founder of the self-assembly lab located at MIT’s international design center, unveiled the
technology “4D printing” during a talk at TED conference held in Long Beach Calfornia
(TED, 2013). 4D Technology is still in the early phase of research and development. This
technology has been used only in few labs or prototyping facilities. In current scenario, one
can’t just order and by “4D printer”. As of 207, MIT’s self-assembly lab, 3D printing
manufacturer Stratasys and 3D software company Autodesk are the key players in the
development of 4D printing technology.

FUNDAMENTAL OF 4D PRINTING

3D printing technology has been used to make static structures from

digital data digital data in 3D co ordinates, 4D printing adds the concept of change in the
printed configuration over time, dependent on environmental stimuli. The key difference
between 3D and 4D printing are the smart design and smart materials as 4D printed
structures may transform in shape or printed structures may transform in shape or function.
This implies that the 4D printed structures should be fully programmed in detail by
accounting for any anticipated time-dependent deformation of the object. 4D printing was
firstly introduced by a research group of MIT and defined as the fabrication of 3D printed
structures with adaptable and programmable shapes, properties or functionality as a function
of time.

Intelligent materials are able to sense stimulus from the external environment and create a
useful response. Thus, intelligent materials can be seen as those which provide a means of

[6]
achieving an active intelligent response in a product that would otherwise be lacking and
have the potential to yield a multitude of enhanced capabilities and functionalities.

Three key aspects must be fulfilled for 4D printing to take place. The first is the use of
stimuli responsive composite materials that are blended or incorporate multi materials with
varying properties being sandwiched layer upon layer. The second is the stimuli that will act
on the object causing it to animate examples of these stimuli include heating, cooling,
gravity, UV light, Magnetic energy, wind water or even humidity. The last aspect is time of
the simulation to occur, and the final result is the change of state of the object.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 4D PRINTING AND 3D PRINTING

TECHNOLOGY

Considering how quickly 3D printing technology prototypes the model

and eventually can be used in mass production, this technology is surely a next big thing in
the field of manufacturing. But the expansion of this technology even further leads to 4D
printing. As explained previously, 4D printing technology involves creating objects with
special multi material components that eventually change after reacting with external
properties or sometimes on their own without external involvement. In both 3D and 4D
printing processes, additive manufacturing is involved to create new product. The only
difference is the time with material changing its properties. Time is the extra dimension in
4D printing technology.

Time Factor

Time is an element for extra dimension in 3D printing that makes 4D

printing. In order to get final structure, it takes time to transform from initial shape. 3D
printed object also requires some time in order to heal or cooling time. However, 4D printed
parts starts acting only after exposed to external energy. In general, 3D printed parts are

[7]
ready to use after printed whereas, 4D printed parts are not completely ready for its motive
even after print in done.

Material

The most common materials used by 3D printer are Nylon, ABS plastic,
Resin, Wax and Polycarbonate. These traditional materials are easily available in the market,
hence printing using these materials are easy. However, 4D printing technology uses Smart
materials. Smart materials are multi-materials with one or more properties that can undergo
transformation in controlled fashion by external energy. Usually Smart material are
piezoelectric, electrostictive, magnetostrictive, thermoelectric and shape memory alloys.

Shape memory alloys are strong, hard, tough, very good conductivity but expensive. CuAl-Ni
alloy, Ni-Ti alloy, Cu-Au-Zn alloy are few list of smart metal alloys. Here, Cu refers to
Copper, Al is Aluminum, Ni is Nickel, Ti is Titanium, Au is Gold and Zn refers Zinc metal.

Hardware

After material selection, hardware has the key role in printing process.
Depending upon technology and requirement, there are various 3D printing machines
available in the market both for home use and production. Form 1+ printer, which is based on
Stereolithography process and Mojo from Stratays operates using Fused Deposition Molding
technique. Current 3D printers are capable of processing single material. Stratasys' Connex
multi-material 3D printer has added capability of embedded transformation from one
structure to another. This multi material processing technology allows researchers to map
multiple material properties into single structure carrying features of parent material with
water absorbing properties to activate self-assembly process. Water acting as external
activating factor, this technique promises broad possibilities for embedding programmability
for non-electronic based design. Similarly, RoVa4D Full color Blender 3D printer from ORD
solutions, allows affordable full-color multi material desktop printing.

[8]
Software

Need to say that current software tools are behind hardware capabilities.
The new advancement in the field of printing industry has forced researchers and engineers
to develop new types of software tools with capabilities that go beyond CAD, CAM, Solid
works or other modeling software. With the emerging new idea such as bio-printing, multi
material printing, 4D printing and electronics printing, there is a demand of software which
can incorporate all those processes.

Project Cyborg from Autodesk, (Research, 2016) CANVAS software from Mosaic
Manufacturing, (Manufacturing, 2017) Foundry, from MIT's Computer Science and
Artificial Intelligence Lab (Etherington, 2016) and Monolith multi material voxel software
(Monolith, 2017)are some of the software that makes multi-material 3D printing easier. The
complexities are growing with the need to control smart material and stimulate deposition of
programmed matter for precise transformation. 4D printing requires further advancement
modeling software than the one used for 3D printing.

Product designs in industrial sector are constrained by limitations of the machines. Although
the process inside production facility is faster and quicker in comparison to 3D or 4D
printing technology. However, 3D printing technology has capability to create complex
shape design with a small change in code and allow designers to carry the best part without
any huge change. Design freedom with the ability to shape lift physical object from one
shape to another leads a step beyond static 3D object. As 3D printing allows material
selection process efficiently by selecting the place where it is needed. Selective material
placement helps saving excess use of material reducing weight such as creating bone like
structures. And with the added dynamics and performance capabilities of material itself 4D
printing guides the part to adapt their structure as per the external stimulation.

[9]
Simple Manufacturing

The products are directly built from standardized digital file and all the
computer controlled processes helps reducing time for expertise as well as human interaction
required to create object. While the object is being printed, the process often remains
unmonitored allowing objects to be built overnight without human interference. Similar to
the process, 4D printing processes are becoming even simpler than 3D printing technology.
Simple looking structure can be printed and then with the help of external activating agent, it
can transform into complex, large functional structure. Furthermore, self-assembly structure
senses and reacts physically with the surrounding environment itself without any human
involvement.

SMART MATERIALS

Global competition among technological giants and demand for new

generation of industrial, commercial, medical, automotive and aerospace applications has
fueled research and studies focused on advanced materials and smart structures. Researchers
are developing ultimate materials which can be applied in multipurpose scientific and
technological applications. Those smart materials or intelligent materials features fibrous
polymeric composite materials capable of sensing external command in the heat, light,
electricity, magnet, water and many other agents. Diverse applications and structures of
smart materials will certainly revolutionize the current generation. Starting from wooden and
stone materials from the stone age to copper followed by bronze and iron age, human
mankind have developed a new age and we call them smart material age.

Human civilization has been directly influenced by materials technologies and those
materials have given mankind to become superior among other living beings in this planet.
The timeline of human civilization such as Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron age depicts the
progress of materials choice and selection. The current synthetic materials featuring plastics
and composites, biomaterials represents the new age of materials. Various innovations in
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diverse field of science including manufacturing, nanotechnology, material science,
automation featuring smart materials still significantly impose positive impact on
civilization. The current generation of innovative has already seen some classes of materials
such as executing specific functions autonomously in response to changing environmental
stimuli, embedded sensory capabilities in order to comply with programmed shape.

Smart materials incorporate with actuators and sensors and are highly integrated within the
structure functionality. Characteristics like signal conditioning, signal power amplification,
optical, magnetic or electric source as shown in table 1. Light influence smart materials are
capable of changing its color, Shape and mechanically smart materials are capable of altering
mechanical states such as position, velocity, stiffness or damping. The transition of laminated
materials technology which is built up from smaller constitutive elements helps expanding
the active element within the structure. Smart ply or piece of composite material can be
developed with the capability of carrying actuators, sensors, processers and inter connections.
The development of microelectronics, switching circuitry, fiber optic technology and
information processing techniques has further advances evolution of smart materials. Table 1
represents classification of smart materials along with the input force they require and output.

TYPES INPUT OUTPUT

Piezoelectric Mechanical stress Potential difference

Electrostrictive Electric field Deformation

Magnetostrictive Magnetic field Deformation

Thermoelectric Thermal energy Deformation

Shape memory alloys Thermal energy Deformation

Photochromic Radiation Color change

Thermochromic Thermal energy Color change

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 PROPERTIES OF SMART MATERIALS

4D printing opens new fields for application in which a structure can be

activated for self-assembly, reconfiguration, and replication through environmental free
energies. There are several advantages brought about by this technology such as significant
volume reduction for storage, and transformations that can be achieved with a flat pack 4D
printed structures. Another example is instead of directly creating complex structures using
3D printing, simple components from smart materials can be 3D printed first and then self-
assembled to reach the final complex shape. The potential applications of 4D printing can be
broadly classified into three main categories which include self assembly, multi-functionality
and self-repair. The ability of 4D printed structures to self-assemble and self-repair opens
new opportunities of application, such as the fabrication of minimally invasive surgery
devices that can be placed in human body through a little surgical incision and then
assembled at the required position for surgical operations.

Self assembly

A future application can be on a large scale and in a harsh environment.

Individual parts can be printed with small 3D printers and then self-assembled into larger
structures, such as space antennae and satellites. This capability can be exploited for the
creation of transportation systems for complex parts to the International space station.
Further applications include self-assembling buildings, this is especially useful in war zones
or in outer space where the elements can come together to give a fully formed building with
minimum work force. There is also the added advantage that some limitations in construction
can be eliminated by the use of 4D printing. Rigid materials can be can be 3D printed along
with smart materials to create specific areas of a part that act as joints and hinges for bending.
Raviv et al argue that construction must be made smarter and solve problems of wasting
large amounts of energy, materials, money and time for building. These issues can be solved
using design programs and software to embed information into the materials that makes the

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material and construction more accurate. Self-assembly may not be efficient for every
purpose, which implies different sectors and applications must be identified that benefit most
from self-assembly.

Self adaptability

4D printing allows the integration of sensing and actuation directly into

a material rendering external electromechanically systems unnecessary. This decreases the
number of parts in a structure, assembly time, material and energy costs as well as the
number of failure prone devices, which is associated with electromechanical systems [10].
This technology is finding use in self-adaptive 4D printed tissues and 4D printed
personalized medical devices such as tracheal stems.

Self Repair

The error correct and self-repairing capability of 4D manufactured

products shows tremendous advantages with regard to reusability and recycling. Self-healing
pipes and self-healing hydrogels are some of the potential applications of 4D printing. Self-
healing of polymers can be achieved by a few categories of reactions, which include covalent
bonding, supramolecular chemistry, H-bonding, ionic interactions, and π-π stacking. Self-
healing materials have also been shown to have great potential for producing soft actuators
with enhanced durability, due to their ability to self-repair damage ranging from bulk cracks
to surface scratches. The use of self-healing hydrogels as inks for additive manufacturing has
been successfully demonstrated.

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 4D PRINTING PROCESS

When Skyalar Tibbits introduced 4D printing technology in 2013, the

demonstration of structure folded with only 90 degree transformation and activated when
printed specimen was immersed in water. Similar researches were demonstrated with the
composite printed materials stretching upon heat activation, light activated materials and
electrically activated materials. As the progress is still going on, there still more needed in
universality in folding from one shape to another. Further improvement is needed to take
control over autonomous transformation rather than human guided energy source.

A major challenge for 4D printing technology is design structure including both hardware
section and software section. In order to design hardware part, special measures needs to be
addressed. Since, this requires complex and advanced material programming, precise multi-
material printing, designing complex joints for folding, expansion, contraction, curling,
twisting process. Software section is even challenging that cooperates with hardware design.
Sophisticated simulation, material optimization and topology transformation are few of the
challenges for software part. Following explanation demonstrates structural transformation
regarding its joint angle, folding, curling and bending.

SHAPE MEMORY EFFECT

After being quasi-plastically deformed in the presence of the right

stimulus a Shape memory material (SMM) is able to recover its original shape. This
phenomenon is termed the Shape memory effect (SME). Shape memory polymers (SMP) are
able to mechanically transit between the printed shape and a predetermined shape in response
to external stimuli. Xie et al printed a shape memory polymer through the light curing
process, which evolves in structure when immersed in water. Hydrogels are an interesting
area for 4D printing. Hydrogels are generally 3D networks of polymer chains formed by
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cross linking. The cross links may either be temporary or permanent by forming physical
contacts or covalent bonds. These networks tend to swell when immersed in water due to the
network gaps. The hydrogels are biocompatible and useful for biological applications and
their ability to swell makes them a candidate for 4D printing. The swelling can be controlled
by crosslink site density, surface modification, and size of the hydrogel particles. Raviv et al
synthesized a hydrogel by mixing vinyl caprolactam, polyethylene and diacrylae oligomer
which can expand by approximately 200% under water. There are a few notable drawbacks
that may need to be overcome for practical application of shape changing hydrogels. Their
response speed is low to stimuli especially so for large objects because the swelling
mechanism is intrinsically limited by mass diffusion. The actuated shape may not be stable
due to the volatility of water and most hydrogels are relatively brittle and may undergo mass
loss during the hydration/dehydration cycle. These challenges may be overcome by
introducing porosity into the hydrogels significantly improving the response speed and
innovative molecular designs such as double network can lead to robust mechanical
properties. SMP are an alternative to hydrogels for fabricating morphing structure which are
more robust and provide a wider range of mechanical properties. The essential
programmability of the shape shifting pathways distinguishes SMPs from hydrogels. During
the programming process, a temporary shape as defined by an external deformation force can
be fixed and the shape shifting pathway goes from this temporary shape to the synthesized or
fabricated original shape. As the original shape can be fixed into unlimited number of
temporary shapes by variation of the external deformation force, the corresponding shape
shifting pathway is also unlimited. This is different from hydrogels whose shape shifting is
typically non-programmable, implying they can only morph between two geometric shapes
defined in their fabrication no matter how sophisticated they are. A research group at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has 3D printed multi-materials that change
shape under water. Two different materials with different porosities and water absorption
capacities to print biomaterial structures. These structures have a porous water absorbing
material on one side and a rigid waterproof material on the opposite side. When the printed
object is immersed in water there is water absorption on both sides. The side which absorbed
water increases in volume whereas the opposite side remains unchanged resulting in a
bending motion towards the rigid side as shown in Fig 1.

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Fig 1: Transformation of a structure from 1D to 3D with water absorption materials printed
by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Get al developed a model that took into account different design options to fabricate
composite hinge structures. Their research focused on characterizing hinge behavior with
respect to hinge bending angle as a function of geometrical parameters, thermomechanical
loading parameters and programming parameters. Get al reported a paradigm of 4D printing
to create printed active composites directly printing shape memory polymer fibres in an
elastomeric matrix to enable shape change of the composite. SMPs could recover their
original shape and size when heated above their glass transition temperatures. They
experimentally proved this by producing the folding box shown in Fig 2 and also 4D printed
a pyramid and an origami airplane. Tibbits and his colleagues experimentally demonstrated
how 4D printed objects could perform self-assemblies. A strip of hydrophilic polymer that
expands by 150% when it encounters water was printed over a corresponding strip of rigid
material, which causes the primitive to fold.

Fig 2: Folding process of 4D printed cubes with hinges

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Yang et al exploited thermoplastic shape memory polyurethane and a Fused Deposition
Model (FDM) printer to fabricate 3D structures. Carbon black was introduced into the resin
as filler, yielding 3D morphing structures that can be triggered by the photo-thermal
mechanisms as shown in Fig 3. Thermoplastics generally have poor performance over their
thermoset counterparts, which limit their application potential. Traditional thermoset SMPs
are chemically cross-linked and not melt process able once the crosslinks are established in
the polymer network. 11th South African Conference on Computational and Applied
Mechanics, 17-19 Sept 2018

Fig 3: Photo responsive materials based on carbon black and polyurethane extruded from a
FDM printer to form a 3D printed object with photo responsive shape memory effect. The
shape recovery of cubic frame under 87mW/cm2 of light source .

Figure 4 shows the printing of a 3D printed structure with multiple SMPs. Multi-material
grippers that have the potential to function as micro grippers that can grab objects or drug
delivery devices and the release the objects. Fig 4 shows different sized multi-material
grippers with different designs. Fig 4b shows the 3D printed gripper as printed in its open
state and functionality if grabbing objects is triggered upon heating. Fig 4c shows a time
lapse image of the gripper grabbing an object. By controlling the dynamic properties of the
different SMPs it is possible to design the time dependent sequential shape recovery.

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Fig 4: 4D printed griper.

Recently methacrylated macrodomes for 3D printing of shape memory objects were

synthesized by Zarek et al. These materials were used in flexible electrical circuits as shown
in Fig 5 which was an open electric circuit. When heated above the Tm the circuit was closed
and lit an LED. @SACAM 2018 7

Fig 5: Shape memory based electrical device a) conductive ink printed on the shape memory
construct b) fabricated temperature sensor in its off state (top) and on state (bottom)

They used a heated bath for the photopolymer where a projection Sintering Laser (SL)
process was used to create the structures and inkjet printing was used to print the conductive
inks. Basing on this proof of concept, 4D printing technology can be used in the fabrication
of soft robotics, medical devices, sensors, and wearable electronics. 4.1 Light activated
SMPS Light is an effective activation technique for SMPs due to its abundant nature, it being
wireless and controllable. Light activated SMPs have been used in areas of self-assembly
structures, complex folding methods, and transformative surface deformations.

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 APPLICATION AREA AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

4D printing technology has the potential to change the current business

environment. Future advancement of this mechanism depends and remains focused on
variety of capabilities. For example, current process that allows 4D printed structure to
expand when exposed to water and when structure is allowed to dry, it tends to unfold and
regain its original shape. However, when similar process is repeated again and again, the
material degrades over time and process is not infinitely repeatable. To control directionality
and reversibility process, further research and development need to be conducted. This
development points towards changing future of education and science. With the study of
existing self-changing structures and models, new experiment with new material properties
and functional behaviors can be tested.

The self-changing ability of material leads to range of applications in various industries. It is

essential for any business to reduce manufacturing cost and increase profit to stay in fierce
competitive environment. The concept of 4D printing technology along with 3D printing
provides platform for new business ideas that can adapt and compete current market trend by
lowering capital requirement, time efficient, less space for holding inventory and increasing
efficiency of the business. 4D printing promotes maintaining sustainable environment as the
self-transforming capability of 4D printed item allows after use disposition, changing back to
original shape.

Medical Research

University of Michigan developed a 3D printed stint that gets absorbed

into the body over time. For the patient with weak cartilage in walls of bronchial tubes, the
stint was used to open airways for two or three years, which is enough time for bronchial
cartilage to form back to the shape. This biomedical splint which was printed using 3D
printing technology changes shape and conform over time as the body moves or grows.
There has been successful implants of those 4D printed structure, which needs to be
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biocompatible with patient’s immune system and able to adapt the external surrounding
tissues within the body.

The process started with virtual model of trachea through CT scan of patient and designing
model of virtual stint with medical imaging software called Mimics. Polycaprolactone (PCL),
a biomaterial was used to print the stint with the help of Formiga P100 3D printer. (Mearian,
2016)

Most likely, upcoming future of 4D printing technology will include all types of implants and
reconstructive surgery. Beyond helping patients with respiratory issues, researchers are
exploring their use to correct human skeletal deformation such as facial reconstruction,
rebuilding ears.

Aeronautics and Robotics

MIT Research Scientist Skylar Tibbits and Emerging Technology and

Concept team from Airbus collaborated together to develop special air inlet component. This
collaboration with Airbus developed new air inlet which adjusts automatically to control air
flow which is used to cool the engine. As the current air ventilation inlets are static and air
flow varies with speed of an airplane. (Group A, 2016)

Designing roots requires ability to develop responsive and highly sensitive parts. 4D printing
will allow those machineries far more advanced adaptive and dynamic ability to perform
complex task effectively.

A team of researchers at MIT and Harvard University developed origami robots, which is
reconfigurable robots capable of folding themselves into arbitrary shapes and crawling away.
The prototype robot was made up of printable parts entirely. (Hardesty, 2014)

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Military applications

Programmable matter will have a vast application area in military sector.

US army and Navy are developing three dimensional printed spare parts in the field and
developing programmable elements that form into full building with all the necessary
components such as electricity, plumbing and other technical structures. (Laskar, 2017) .

As the technology allows the materials to change its shape, military equipment, cars and
fabrics could enable them to alter its camouflage. Military advancements with 4D printing
technology would develop coating material in automobile that changes its structure to cope
with humid environment and corrosion. Similarly, transformation of tires depending upon
road and weather condition.

In 2013, US Army Research Office granted $855,000 to researchers at three universities,

Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Science, The University of Illinois and The
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. (Sokol, 2013)

Furniture and House appliances

People are much more familiar with IKEA furniture which comes in
parts and packed. It takes lots of time and effort for normal customer to assemble and make
ready. However, one could imagine the relief when those flat packaged furniture self
assembles and the furniture is ready to use without any hassle. Similarly, self-disassembling
of furniture while moving from one location is comforting. Along with the time saving, it
could help people get rid of complex assembling process and mistakes.

Fashion

The idea of clothes and trainers adjusting their shape and function in
response to external environment and comforting the user, sounds fascinating. Fitting
perfectly upon pressure being applied or gears becoming water proof itself when raining.

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Massachusetts based design studio Nervous System have developed 4D printed wearable
which is composed of thousands of unique interlocking component and the dress responds to
the wearer's body. (Designboom, 2014)

Experiments involving 4D printing have been few and limited to the date as there are only
few major players actively in the field of research. Nevertheless, this technology has been
taken seriously because of its constructive and disruptive capability. As the incoming of

wide ranges of technologies, new programmable materials, software and design tools, 4D
printing mechanism certainly has the potential to become magical and opening new
possibilities that were assumed science fiction and seen only in movies.

This technology can be formulated into action for manufacturing and construction idea at
extremely large scale and complex environments. Printing small materials and transforming
into gigantic shapes in extreme locations such as radiation zone, deep trench, space, war
zone. Building materials that are capable of adjusting fluctuating environment, self-healing,
maximum shock absorption and mediating moisture, sound, pressure, temperature varying
the thickness.

A good example of the potentially inevitable revolution of 4D printing in the field of

construction can be smart water pipes, which have the ability to adjust and assemble
themselves as per the changing water pressure and temperature. As the pipes adapts and
adjust independently, no need of any digging preventing internal damages, this mechanism
will help in easy and cost effective maintenance.

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 CONCLUSION

Additive manufacturing is still a growing industry still in its infancy.

New materials, printing methods, software’s and machines are constantly being developed
and improved. Recently 4D printing has been gaining attention because 4D printed structures
have the capability to change in form or function over time in response to stimuli such as
pressure, temperature, wind, water, and light. 4D printing technology uses smart materials,
designs to forecast change processes and smart printing can be applied to various fields from
simple shape changes to bio printing for organisms. Using multi material 3D printing and
smart materials, 4D printing has been developed. This new technology provides a feasible
method to fabricate a compact deployable structure. Smart materials are the cornerstone for
4D printing.

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 REFERENCE

 GOOGLE: https://www.topicsforseminar.com/2018/05/4d-printing-technology-pdf-
seminar.html

 Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4D_Printing

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 DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC COLLEGE, PALAKKAD

PROGRAMME EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

1. Our Electronics diploma professional can take up the middle level responsibilities in
manufacturing and advanced technology industries with his acquired knowledge and skills.

2. Our Electronics diploma engineers will be able to apply their professional and personal
excellence to help supporting social development.

3. They will be able to expand the knowledge base through higher studies and update on
technology leading to career growth.

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