FlexTECH: Taking the next step with 'Printed Electronics'
Julius Hofman (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
K.M.B. Jansen – Mentor (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
Y. Song – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Industrial Design Engineering)
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Abstract
By combining the recent innovations of 4D Printing and Printed Electronics, the Emerging Materials group at the Delft University of Technology has developed a new, printable, self-actuatable material that can continuously change shape in a programmable manner. A specifically designed strip of conductive and non-conductive materials exhibits flexion when exposed to an electric current, which can be used to control the actuation. The resulting actuator is small, lightweight, and can be printed as a single component. Several potential features of this phenomenon are explored, and its performance is quantified through a series of scientific experiments. The tools and knowledge obtained are presented in a series of comprehensive Design Guidelines and demonstrated by a locomoting robot. The project redefines the material’s properties under the new name “FlexTECH” and makes the technology more accessible to encourage designers in fields such as Aerospace and Soft Robotics to use FlexTECH actuators to solve future design challenges