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To address the growing demand for energy- and labor-efficient manufacturing, this research presents integrative printing strategies for fabricating objects with complex curvature using cellulose-based filament that swells and shrinks in response to moisture. This behavior enables shape transformation through 4D printing, where time acts as the fourth dimension. Moreover, this research outlines a multi-step fabrication workflow to investigate two complex shaping mechanisms: (i) double curvature through perpendicular bending, and (ii) double curvature through parallel bending. Stepwise experiments, namely design and fabrication fundamentals, provide a thorough foundation from which single bending is explored, followed by double-curvature experiments, which demonstrate robust shaping mechanisms with high resolution and volumetric intricacy; results of these empirical studies shed light on the feasibility of moisture-responsive self-shaping for articulate geometries, and ultimately, provide a foundational pathway for their use in industrial applications.
ITECH M.Sc. Thesis Project 2025: Shape_Shift - Exploring Curvature Morphologies of Self-Shaping Structures Through Multistep Sectional 4D Printing (MS4DP)
Nadine Aderhold, Bryan Martino, Qu Wang
Thesis Advisers: Ekin Sila Sahin, Fabian Eidner
Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Achim Menges
Second Supervisor: Prof. Jan Knippers