3D & 4D printing technology is an emerging field in additive manufacturing of time responsive programmable materials. It creates opportunities for solutions in demanding environments where human intervention is not possible. The current progress of 4D printable smart materials and their stimuli-responsive capabilities are overviewed in this paper.
3D Printing
3D printing uses computer-aided design (CAD) to create three-dimensional objects through a layering method. Sometimes referred to as additive manufacturing, 3D printing involves layering materials, like plastics, composites or bio-materials to create objects that range in shape, size, rigidity and color.
Examples :
- consumer products (eyewear, footwear, design, furniture)
- industrial products (manufacturing tools, prototypes, functional end-use parts)
- dental products
- prosthetics
- replicating ancient artefacts
- reconstructing evidence in forensic pathology
- movie props
Benefits of 3D Printing
- Flexible Design.
- Rapid Prototyping.
- Print on Demand.
- Strong and Lightweight Parts.
- Fast Design and Production.
- Minimising Waste.
- Cost Effective.
- Ease of Access.
4D Printing
4D printing gives 3D printed objects the ability to change their shape over time. The term “4D printing” refers to this additional fourth dimension: time. The emerging technology combines 3D printing techniques with high-level material science, engineering and software. Materials play a crucial role in 4D printing, as the technology uses materials that have been specially designed to react to a specific stimulus.
Examples :
- Clothing and footwear
- Health care/Medical industry
- Home appliances
- Smart devices
- Packaging
- Tissue engineering
Benefits of 4D Printing
- An object fabricated by 4D printing technology using smart materials when brought into contact with external sources, like heat, water, etc., reacts and changes its form and size as programmed. It enables us to fabricate objects which are much larger than the size of the printer.
- Size enhancement
- Increase the capabilities of the printed products
- Improve manufacturing efficiency
- Reduce manufacturing cost
Summary
As 3D and 4D Printing technology has its own pros and cons. Their usage depend upon requirement. They give additive effect of realness into the picture almost in every area.
[…] the way for a plethora of new scientific discoveries and advancements. Artificial intelligence, 3D printing, self-driving vehicles, and robots are just a few examples. As a result, technology has begun to […]