The rapid evolution of 3D printing technology has ushered in a diverse array of materials, expanding beyond fast-curing plastics to include slow-curing polymers. Innovations by ETH Zurich and a US start-up have unlocked unprecedented potential, enabling the creation of more durable, elastic, and intricate structures in a single print.
This breakthrough permits the fusion of soft and rigid materials, yielding versatile and robust products like complex robots with bones, ligaments, and tendons crafted from different polymers simultaneously. The utilisation of slow-curing thiolene polymers, renowned for superior elasticity and rapid restoration to their original state after bending, stands pivotal in creating resilient robotic components.
Moreover, this technology enables precise stiffness adjustments crucial for crafting soft robots, ensuring enhanced safety during human interaction and delicate object manipulation. Departing from traditional layer-by-layer scraping methods, the innovation employs 3D laser scanning to detect surface irregularities in real-time, allowing for immediate adjustments in material deposition for flawless prints.
Published in Nature, this collaborative effort between ETH Zurich and MIT showcases immense potential for further innovation. ETH Zurich aims to delve deeper into novel applications, while Inkbit plans to commercialise this technology, offering advanced 3D printing services and printers to revolutionise manufacturing capabilities.
Journal Reference:
Thomas J. K. Buchner, Simon Rogler, Stefan Weirich, Yannick Armati, Barnabas Gavin Cangan, Javier Ramos, Scott T. Twiddy, Davide M. Marini, Aaron Weber, Desai Chen, Greg Ellson, Joshua Jacob, Walter Zengerle, Dmitriy Katalichenko, Chetan Keny, Wojciech Matusik, Robert K. Katzschmann. Vision-controlled jetting for composite systems and robots. Nature, 2023; 623 (7987): 522 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06684-3
by- YASHESH PATADIA
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