What is 3D/4D Printing?
Taking a closer look at how additive manufacturing has evolved
3D Printing
Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, also known as additive manufacturing, is the process of creating 3D objects by building up materials layer by layer.
Using computer-aided design (CAD), a 3D object is sliced into digital cross-sectional layers that describe its geometry, height, and various other printing properties. 3D printing can involve materials such as a thermoplastic polymer (PLA, ABS), metal, UV curable resin, and more.
In essence, 3D printing involves printing a series of 2D layers to create a static 3D object, which can be rigid or flexible, and restricted to the size of the printer.
Popular applications of 3D printing include:
- Fashion (2016 New York Fashion Week — complex designs and cutting-edge materials gave the dresses durability and flexibility)
- Regenerative Medicine and Bioprinting (Dr. Anthony Atala — fabricating living organisms and tissue)
- Aerospace (NASA — essential parts and build structures in space)
- Construction (Contour building — building houses and bridges with cement, sand, or concrete materials)
- Food (Everything — using edible materials, anything can be made and consumed)
4D Printing
Four-dimensional (4D) printing creates a ‘smart’ 3D object from a material that can change its shape over time when exposed to environmental stimuli (heat, light, magnetic field, etc).
The fourth dimension mentioned is the transformation over time, and the structure of the 4D print is preprogrammed in detail according to the desired shape. The ‘smart materials’ used can be either hydrogel or a shape memory polymer, a material that can ‘remember’ what shape they were and return to said shape when a stimulus is applied.
The biggest advantage of 4D printing is computational folding, where objects larger than printers can be printed as only one part. This offers the ability to perform post-production transformations, also referred to as self-transformation or self-assembly.
Potential applications of 4D printing would include:
- Self-Repairing Piping Systems (dynamically adjusts to water flow rate and demand, and heals itself if required)
- Self-Assembly Furniture (no longer limited to the size of the printer — just add water!)
- Medical Industry (self-reconfiguring proteins)
- Fashion (clothing that adapts accordingly to weather or activity)
- Soft robots (activates without reliance on an electric device)
In Summary
Where 3D printed objects are static, permanent in shape post-production, and limited to the size of the printer, 4D printed ones are the complete opposite. With the ability of self-transformation, 4D printed objects provide a significant advantage in terms of product size and manufacturing.
There are countless applications for 3D and 4D printing alike, and there continues to be research and development being put into discovering new materials for a broader range of usages.
