4d Printing Essay

Abstract

The emerging technology of 4D printing was examined with regards to the technology itself, the technology life cycle, its S-curve, its emerging market potential and competition, as well as strategic implications and technology planning.

4D printing is applicable in a variety of industries, e.g. industrial manufacturing, healthcare, robotic, military, automotive industry, and aerospace (Khan et al., n.d.). 4D printing is an emerging technology due to recent technological advances. With improvements in printer technology and the development of novel programmable matter, 4D printing has the potential to become a disruptive technology comparable to – and far beyond – the already existing technology of 3D printing. With 4D printing, a world can be imagined, in which a new form of matter formation could enable a form and function modification is possible with the flip of a switch (Campbell, Tibbits, and Garret, 2014).

Keywords: 4D printing, 3D printing, smart materials, additive manufacturing

4D Printing Technology

Over the last decade, 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has introduced fast and affordable manufacturing of specific objects. However, to make 3D printed materials more useful and flexible, scientists are working on a new technology to create responsive objects, also known as 4D printing. Four dimensional printing is an emerging technology that converges 3D printing technology and smart materials (Headrick, 2015). The fourth dimension in 4D printing is the change over time (Pei, 2014). Consequently, 4D printing uses programmable materials for the 3D printing applications. With this technology, adaptive products whose physical properties alter when random energy is put into them can be produced. 4D printing offers the opportunity to build objects that change and