Latest Publications & Patents on 4D Printing

Iterative design is a design methodology based on a cyclic process of prototyping, testing, analyzing, and refining a product or process. Based on the results of testing the most recent iteration, changes and refinements are made. This process is intended to ultimately improve the quality and functionality of a design by repeatedly cycling through these steps.

'Use by' dates are related to food safety. They are used on foods that are highly perishable from a microbiological perspective and could pose an immediate danger to human health after a short period. In contrast, 'best before' or 'best if used by' dates relate to food quality, indicating when the product will be at its peak flavor, texture, and nutritional value.

A technology roadmap is a strategic planning tool, typically visualized as a multi-layered chart with time on the horizontal axis. Each layer represents a different perspective, such as market drivers, product features, enabling technologies, and research projects. This structure visually links strategic goals and market needs directly to the technological solutions and resources required to achieve them over time.

Stereolithography is a vat photopolymerization additive manufacturing process. It employs an ultraviolet (UV) laser to selectively cure and solidify a liquid photopolymer resin. A build platform is submerged in the resin, and the laser traces a cross-section of the object on the surface. The platform then moves down by one layer thickness, allowing a new layer of resin to be cured on top.

Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven methodology for eliminating defects in any process – from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service. The statistical representation of Six Sigma describes a process where 99.99966% of all opportunities to produce some feature of a part are statistically expected to be free of defects (3.4 defects per million opportunities).

Selective Laser Sintering is a powder bed fusion additive manufacturing process. It utilizes a high-power laser to selectively sinter, or fuse, particles of a polymer powder. A roller spreads a thin layer of powder over a build area, the laser scans a cross-section of the part, and the build platform lowers. This process repeats, building the object layer-by-layer.

ISO 9001 is the world's most recognized standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS). It provides a framework and a set of principles that ensure a common-sense approach to the management of an organization to consistently satisfy customers and other stakeholders. It is based on seven quality management principles, including a strong customer focus and a process-based approach.

FMECA is an extension of FMEA that includes a criticality analysis, which charts the probability of failure modes against the severity of their consequences. This allows for a quantitative ranking of failure modes based on the combined influence of their severity and probability. The result highlights single points of failure and helps prioritize corrective actions based on a more rigorous risk level.

Indoor concentrations of VOCs from sources like building materials, furniture, and cleaning agents often exceed outdoor levels. Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) is a metric representing the summed concentration of multiple individual VOCs in the air. It is widely used as a general screening tool for assessing indoor air quality (IAQ), though it doesn't distinguish between high and low toxicity compounds.

Surface micromachining builds MEMS devices by depositing and patterning thin films on a substrate. It involves a sequence of depositing a sacrificial layer (like silicon dioxide), patterning it, depositing a structural layer (like polysilicon), and finally removing the sacrificial layer to release the mechanical structure. This process allows for the creation of complex, free-standing microstructures directly on the wafer surface.

Concurrent engineering, also known as simultaneous engineering, is a design philosophy that emphasizes the parallelization of tasks. Instead of a sequential process where design is completed before manufacturing is considered, it involves a team-based approach where designers, manufacturing engineers, and other stakeholders work together from the outset. This overlap significantly reduces product development time and improves design quality.

The Juran Trilogy, developed by Dr. Joseph M. Juran, is a foundational quality management approach consisting of three interconnected processes: Quality Planning, Quality Control, and Quality Improvement. This framework provides a structured way for organizations to manage for quality. It emphasizes that quality does not happen by accident; it must be planned and managed systematically.

Parametric modeling is a CAD paradigm where designs are defined by parameters and constraints rather than just geometric shapes. Dimensions and relationships between features (e.g., parallelism, tangency) are stored as parameters. Modifying a parameter value automatically updates the entire model, maintaining the defined constraints. This approach facilitates design iteration, automation, and the creation of design families.

Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), sometimes named Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), a material extrusion technique, builds objects by selectively depositing molten material in a pre-determined path layer-by-layer. A thermoplastic filament is unwound from a coil and fed through a heated extruder nozzle. The nozzle melts the filament and deposits it onto a build platform, where it cools and solidifies, fusing with the layer below.