Integrated Design and Simulation of Tunable, Multi-State Structures Fabricated Monolithically with Multi-Material 3D...

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Mechanical Engineering
• Materials Science and Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Multi-material 3D printing enables novel fabrication of complex deployable structures.
• Existing deployable structures often lack precise control over geometry and load-bearing capacity.
• Hierarchical design frameworks offer potential for advanced structural functionalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and fabricate reversible, deployable structures with predictable activated geometries.
• To develop a bistable actuator as a fundamental building block for hierarchical structures.
• To investigate the tunability of activation force and the deployment capabilities of these structures.

Main Methods:

• Design of a bistable actuator with tunable activation force (0.5–5.0 N) based on joint material and length.
• Fabrication of hierarchical structures using multi-material 3D printing.
• Simulation of structural geometries using a modified Dynamic Relaxation method.
• Experimental validation of simulated geometries.

Main Results:

• Bistable actuators achieve maximized stroke length and tunable activation forces.
• Hierarchical designs demonstrate deployment of space frame (tetrahedron) and curved (dome, enclosure) structures.
• Simulated and measured geometries show less than 5% difference, validating the design approach.

Conclusions:

• Reversible, deployable structures can be reliably fabricated using a hierarchical design approach with bistable actuators.
• The developed actuators and design methodology allow for precise control over structural deployment and final geometry.
• This work opens new avenues for 3D printed deployable structures in various fields requiring adaptable form and function.