4D Printing: Changing The World One Layer at a Time

Introduction: What is 4D Printing?

When Skylar Tibbits got up on stage to address his audience at the TED 2013 conference, he presented the project that he has been working on and painted a picture of his vision for the future. 4D printing: what he believes is the next step in additive manufacturing (TEDTalks, 2013). At first, it sounds like a catchy name for a 3D printing technology with an extra feature or two. However, after watching his whole presentation and upon further reading, it became clear that this was much more. Although seemingly in the very early stages of development, 4D printing garners the potential to have countless applications across industries, and is an innovation that will monumentally disrupt traditional materials used in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and retail.

Source: https://www.ted.com/talks/skylar_tibbits_the_emergence_of_4d_printing#t-75738

So, what is it? Simply put, it is 3D printed material that can change shape upon interaction with a specific medium. The material’s ability to change shape comes from a pre-set code that is placed into the printer containing details of the object’s geometric nature and measurements that detail the object’s behaviour with an external stimulus. The 4^th dimension being time, as the object’s shape changes over time. Tibbits used water as the medium to spark the interaction in his presentation, however different material reacts to different stimuli (@randyrieland, 2014). He placed a printed material in water and, over a period, it changed from a straight-line shape to the shape of the letters “MIT”. A correct combination of materials will cause parts of the object to contract and other parts to relax, folding into a different shape over time. Other stimuli include temperature, light, and pressure have all proven successful (Stratasys.com, 2013).

Source: http://www.selfassemblylab.net/4DPrinting.php

Potential and Nature of Innovation

A glance at Gartner’s hype cycle for emerging technologies will show that 4D printing is very much in its early stages of development. Second to last only beaten by Smart Dust, (sounds more like a sci-fi term than a real technology), 4D printing is estimated to take over 10 years to reach the mainstream (Forni & Meulen, 2016). Tibbits’ own collaborator Stratasys states that it is still not commercially available. However, the material’s innovative ability to adapt to its environment by self-assembly indicates that its agility will prove highly useful in the future (Stratasys.com, 2013). When placed in the right circumstances, 4D printed technology has the potential to be the solution for reducing costs and saving time that is used to assemble and construct traditional material utilised across industries today. By replacing “legacy” materials with 4D printed ones, companies can be more cost and time-efficient, reducing the energy and man-hours spent on constructing rigid structures.

Source: http://www.selfassemblylab.net/4DPrinting.php

As innovative as 4D printing is, it is not a completely new and radical innovation. This technology is considered a product performance innovation since it is printed objects that are SMART because they can adapt to a change in external stimuli. Product performance innovation is described as updates or extensions to products that add value through sustainability, customisation, and simplification. Tibbits describes it as “nothing new” and that the innovative part is what happens after printing (TEDTalks, 2013).

Who will Develop the Technology?

Currently the institution to introduce the technology is Skylar TIbbits’s Self-Assembly Lab in partnership with Stratasys, a leading innovative 3D printing company. It is important to note that there is currently no standardized hardware design for 4D printing (Khan et. al., 2015). Stratasys’s Education and R&D departments are collaborating with MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab (Tibbits) in developing 4D printing. The technology they are using is the Connex multi-material 3D printing. The SMART materials they use known as multi-material allow transformation into different shapes and experiment with the properties to produce insights into geometry and new ways of transformation. Stratasys and Tibbits are the main developers now, however there is potential for other companies and institutions to enter the race (Stratasys.com, 2013).

Another technology being developed is the Rova4D. A successful Kickstarter project, Rova4D is a different kind of 4D printer. The 4^Th dimension they are promoting is the ability to print using several different colours simultaneously, unlike an average 3D printer which prints each colour separately. If this technology is developed further, it could be capable of printing smart materials and become a 4D printer (ROVA, 2016).

United States Institutions have received grants from the U.S. army research office to develop 4D printed materials. The University of Pittsburgh is one example where adaptive 4D printed materials are currently being developed after a research grant of $855,00 (News.Pitt, 2013). The University of Colorado Boulder has their researchers deep in the development of composite materials that are adaptive and go a step above 3D printing (Qi, 2013). These materials can be used in manufacturing, packaging and biomedical applications. These among other institutions across the United States have been granted funding primarily for the fields of aerospace, military, manufacturing, and healthcare.

Competences Needed

The competences and skills needed to develop this technology are built on existing skills required for 3D printing. Understanding how to use 3D printers is an important skill as 4D printing differs in the blueprint of design and the materials used. There will be difficulty when assessing the different kinds of materials and delving into research of how the materials behave. The team at Wollongong University in Australia is experimenting with materials to try and find a solution for the irreversibility and strain of the 4D print. A limitation of this material is after they have changed shape, the effect is permanent. The team experimented with ICE gel (ionic covalent entanglement) which increases the strength of the material and prevents it from cracking if there is strain (Wassmer, 2015).

The example above highlights one aspect of risk of using this technology that may require gaining competences in and understanding different solutions in the event of failure.

Another skill required is the ability to code useful blueprints and design for the shapes and structures of these materials. This will be essential for the growth and expansion of this technology so that new innovative methods for the materials to change shape will arise.

Another competency is the understanding of the behaviours of different SMART material and the ability of workers to combine them adequately. 4D printed materials change shape and conform because of the structure and interaction of materials. There are several examples of SMART materials including polymeric gal, self-healing materials, smart metal alloys, and Piezoelectric material. When pyro-electric material experiences a change in temperature, it emits an electric signal. This can be applied to opening doors via personnel sensors (Khan et. al., 2015). Another example is the material used to make the LG G-flex phone cover, which is a self-healing material that reacts after it gets scratched. These materials and more all differ in their phases of development, as some materials will enter their commerciality prior to others. Knowing how to use these materials is essential to the matter behaving as intended, and will need investment into R&D and training.

In terms of commercialising the technology, it is advantageous that the 3D printing market exists and is in full swing. Although 4D printers are inherently different, they have a basis to work from that other innovative technologies might have not.

Competition

The competition will come both from the 3D printing industry and external industries that can benefit from the technology. Stratasys and Tibbits are at the forefront now, but sooner or later other 3D printing companies will begin to develop their own capabilities of using SMART materials. The issue can come from patents and IP; however, it is still very open in that regard, with patents increasing every year. The product’s ability to transform into different structures may make things complicated, as some patents are issued for whole product lines (Khan et. al., 2015).

            In terms of regional competition, the chart below highlights the key advances in the different regions of North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

Source: Frost, Sullivan 2014

As is the case with most innovations, North America sees the highest intensity of adoption, and the most funding injected into the R&D for 4D printing (Khan et. al., 2015).

            In terms of external competition, the competition will come from innovative companies that have funding and capabilities to invest in 4D printing research. In the healthcare industry, for example, hospitals and medical institutions will begin to research and develop this technology, much like they did with 3D printing before. The United States department of Defence is an enabler of this competition, providing funding as explained previously.

Applications of Disruption Across Industries

Before looking at applications on a macro scale, there have been advances on a micro-biological scale, specifically in nanotechnology. Although not directly called 4D printing, scientists have developed physical and micro-biological materials that can change shapes and directions. One such example that Tibbits mentions is the use of nano-sized materials comprised of DNA that act as small computers. When placed in small animals such as bugs, it can allow the organism to perform small logic operations (Spickernell, 2014). This technology can pave the groundwork achieving successful implementation in large industries in the future.

Healthcare

In healthcare, doctors have been working with 4D printed structures that can be used as implantations in the body. By changing shape over time and conforming to their surroundings, 4D printed materials are more sustainable than any other material used. For example, the University of Michigan developed 4D printed structures known as splints in a patient born with bronchomalacia, weak cartilage in the bronchial tubes. The splints hold open airways and act in the place of the cartilage, as it reforms into the body. They are said to last around 2-3 years. This indication means that 4D printing can be successfully implemented as a solution for medical diseases.

                        Source: http://www.computerworld.com/article/3071666/3d-printing/how-4d-printing-is-now-saving-lives.html

            Above is a picture of the 4D printed stints implanted in the patients. The main difference between 4D technology and 3D is that of rigidity. The adaptive nature of the 4D printed material gives it an advantage because it can be sustained in the event of changes in the environment around it. Of course, there are risks such as lack of compatibility with the patient’s immune system, or no room for expansion of the material (Mearian, 2016).

            Other developments are in very early phases. Scientists are trying to use 4D printing to create self-folding proteins, that can later be used for structural purposes. Other applications include using materials for facial reconstruction, rebuilding cartilage, and holding tissues in place. These examples show the potential of 4D printing to enact change in the treatments and processes used in healthcare today. If 4D printed materials are proven to be objectively superior to the rigid 3D prints, then they will be entirely disruptive to healthcare treatments in the future.

Construction & Infrastructure

Infrastructure is a core industry that will be disrupted by 4D printed materials. These materials have the potential to replace many, if not all, existing materials and technologies used to create infrastructure. For example, 4D printed water pipes can prove to be significantly beneficial, with their ability to change shape and adapt to changes in the ground such as earthquakes. Another application is creating piping that acts as a pump, moving water through the system to the designated location by the expanding and contracting properties of the material. 4D printed piping material could also mean the ability to control flow-rates of water, increasing protection and resilience and decreasing risks of disasters from unattended piping systems. Not only will this mean reducing investment costs on these devices, but also saving time and labour costs previously needed to monitor the devices (Innovation, 2015).

                                                  Source: https://sites.psu.edu/anirudhnambiar/2013/12/14/extra-blog-4-d-printing-the-future-may-build-itself/

On a larger scale, this technology can affect the process of construction projects. The idea of self-assembling a large structure such as a desk or a cabinet could be possible under the right conditions. Imagine the self-assembly of an entire home out of 4D printed material. This may sound far-fetched, but if these 4D printed materials are combined correctly and placed in the right environment, they can transform into any shape required. Houses can be lined with SMART materials that expand to keep in heat during the winter, and contract on in the heat (Atlantic Council, 2014).

Retail

In the retail industry, 4D printed material can be used as a replacement to the material that clothing is made of. An example is upgrading traditional footwear to “smarter” shoes. This is done by adding 4D printed material that can change shape and transform shoes to suit different needs. If the shoe is needed for basketball, the material will change shape to support the ankles, transforming into basketball shoes. The same goes for waterproof needs and any other adaptation to the environment such as hot conditions or high pressure areas (Al-Rodhan, 2014).

Building on the same idea, these materials can be implemented on clothing for stylistic purposes. A company called Nervous System designed a 4D printed dress that can transform into different shapes and expand or shrink to the wearer’s size. This is advantageous for displaying different fashion styles from the same piece of clothing, but also for comfort reasons. The key to the design is small hinges that are printed along with the dress. They allow the piece of clothing to move and conform to a size accordingly (Innovation, 2015).

Source: https://www.dezeen.com/2014/12/09/moma-acquires-first-4d-printed-dress-nervous-system-kinematics/

These are major disruptions to all three industries highlighted, however there are many other applications for 4D printing that are being developed every day. The image below shows the extent of these applications.

Source: http://machinedesign.com/3d-printing/4d-printing-rise

 One thing is for certain: 4D printed materials have the potential to change the way we approach everyday problems and reshape the processes we use to solve them.

Barriers to Adoption

With any potentially disruptive technology comes challenges along the way. 4D printing will face barriers to adoption including regulation barriers, lack of technical expertise, and resistance to new technology. Given that Tibbits is the main supplier of this technology now, any new entrant supplying 4D printing technology will have high barriers to entry and difficulty in competition. These barriers will slow down the rate of progression of the technology as well as the time to market.

The first barrier is the lack of experience dealing with the technology itself. 4D printing is very new and it will take time for the technology to be accepted in the mainstream. There are a few elements to consider here: the software involved, the programmable matter itself, and the know-how needed to combine the materials into the perfect fit. Failure to develop any one of those three aspects will lead to investors potentially veering away from it due to high risk. With pre-existing 3D printers and experts in the field, it will be easier for 4D printing to be accepted in the industry. My recommendation is for the companies that adopt 4D printing to invest in training. This will not be as expensive since it is an innovation that builds on existing ideas, easing the learning process.

For software in specific, existing additive manufacturing devices will need to have their coding and internal software updated to be compatible with the programmable matter that is complex, multi-material, and multifunctional. Tibbits himself has expressed that bringing 4D printing to human scale industries such as construction will be challenging (Atlantic Council, 2014). But as stated previously, investment in training software developers to understand how to create the blueprint for the 4D printed material is the most efficient way to overcome this barrier.

The second barrier is regulation. There will need to be standardization of design. This means there is a standard operations protocol agreed upon to ensure that the systems and materials undergo faultless interaction (Atlantic Council, 2014). Since standards previously exist for 3D printing, the issue here is whether these standards are updated and moved over to the 4D systems, or will new standards be created? Regardless, it will lead to a slowdown in the time to market of the technology. The second legal aspect is certifications, which might prove to be tedious like standardization. This innovation will either need new certifications as per FAA certifications or through the usual means. The more complicated aspect of legality will arise in the event of failure or harm done by the technology. Since there are many players involved, (manufacturer, software developer, materials provider) it will be difficult to determine who is to blame for this failure. Thus, guidelines will need to be drawn out ensuring proper conduct.

The last of the barriers is the willingness of companies to take the leap and implement 4D printing. This is less of a concrete barrier but nevertheless important to the lifespan and application of 4D printing. How willing are companies in industries such as infrastructure, retail, and Healthcare, to take the risk and invest in 4D printing technology? The high risk of a new technology and the switching costs involved (potentially from 3D material) will mean a lack of willingness to adopt early on. My recommendation here is to target a niche and focus on serving a small portion of the market. Over time, the technology will expand and target other sectors of the industry.

Conclusion

There are very few technologies that have as much potential staring us in the eyes as 4D printing does. The technology’s key characteristics of adaptive, complex, shape-changing, conforming multi-material coupled with its variety of SMART materials capable of reacting to several different stimuli, proves that it has the potential to disrupt several major industries worldwide. Although the technology is currently in early phases, the amount of IP is increasing every year, and the next decade will prove crucial to the development of innovative processes capable of handling this material (Khan et. al., 2015). Manufacturing alone will be completely changed, as an increase in efficiency will see the production of new materials to build infrastructure with, transforming our capitals into truly “Smart” cities.

References

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7.     News.Pitt,. (2013). Entering a New Dimension: 4D Printing | University of Pittsburgh News. News.pitt.edu. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from http://www.news.pitt.edu/news/entering-new-dimension-4d-printing

8.     Qi, J. (2013). CU-Boulder researchers develop 4D printing technology for composite materials | CU Boulder Today | University of Colorado Boulder. Colorado.edu. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from http://www.colorado.edu/today/2013/10/22/cu-boulder-researchers-develop-4d-printing-technology-composite-materials

9.     @randyrieland, F. (2014). Forget the 3D Printer: 4D Printing Could Change Everything. Smithsonian. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from http://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/Objects-That-Change-Shape-On-Their-Own-180951449/

10.  ROVA,. (2016). RoVa4D Full Color Blender 3D Printer. Kickstarter. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ordsolutions/rova4d-full-color-blender-3d-printer/description

11.  Spickernell, S. (2014). DNA nanobots deliver drugs in living cockroaches. New Scientist. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25376-dna-nanobots-deliver-drugs-in-living-cockroaches/

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13.  The emergence of "4D printing" | Skylar Tibbits. (2013). LA, California.

14.  Wassmer, W. (2015). 4D Printing: The Smart Materials of The Future. AZoM.com. Retrieved 3 March 2017, from http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=12387