Layer-By-Layer Fabrication Framework for Self-Folding Origami for Metamaterial and Robotic Applications, David C. Bershadsky, UG '24 (A8DB0823)

This work presents a new technique for the fabrication self folding origami structures for use in robotics and metamaterial applications. The technique builds upon prior work using liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), a type of shape memory polymer, and enables the inclusion of foreign materials inside the 3D printed LCEs for additional functionality. This fabrication framework greatly reduces the level of manual human intervention in the fabrication process, decreasing fabrication time and improving precision. The performance impacts of several foreign materials on the LCE origami was characterized to better inform our design philosophy. To facilitate rapid iteration of self folding origami made with this technique we developed as specialized computer aided design (CAD) program that automatically generates all of the required fabrication files, greatly reducing the design time for each origami pattern.