4DP (4D Printing Processes)

4D printing uses the adaptive aspect of materials assembled in 3D printing. The 4th dimension is time and/or functionality. The 4D technology must allow to print objects which change shape by themselves or rather under external solicitation. The objective is to develop a 4D object demonstrator of the 'actuator' type. Two laser technologies will be used: stereo-lithography (SLA) and laser sintering (SLS). With SLS, it will be the shaping of thermoplastic powders likely to allow the manufacture of magneto-active 4D objects. In the case of SLA, the programmable materials will be photoactive polymers. The ALS will be realized by performing a mono or multi-photonic photo-polymerization, allowing the 3D shaping at different scales (µm to cm). An important point of the study will concern the characterization of the 4th dimension: this will be achieved by quantifying the behavior under stimulation of the printed polymers / composites in relation to the mechanical properties at different scales (µm to cm) as a function of time or external solicitations (current, light, mechanical constraints).