Exploration of the fourth dimension, well-known in literature and theoretical physics, became a realistic theme only a few years ago. This leap was made when the first object was printed using 4D printing technology, a technological enhancement over traditional 3D printing. But what is 4D printing in the first place, and why is this object beyond our current understanding?
Understanding the transformative concept of 4D printing in detail
Unlike the previous three-dimensional printing technique in which solid objects are printed, four-dimensional printing adds time as the fourth dimension. A 4D-printed object is not passive; on the contrary, it modifies or changes over time and under the influence of stimuli such as heat, light, or water. The ability to assume one form or perform one function over another makes the situation more complicated than one can imagine.
It has become possible for researchers and engineers to print objects that change forms after being printed, making 4D printing one of the most complex technologies in the world today.
The fascinating journey of the first printed 4D object in history
The idea of 4D printing was first unveiled in 2013 by Skylar Tibbits of MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab. Since then, however, the field has experienced unprecedented growth. This new technology has brought a new kind of design and fabrication into the world—the first fully printed 4D object. The object in question can autonomously change its form concerning its environment, as a flower can change in the light or as seeds spread in the wind.
This characteristic feature of the material—self-assembly or change over time—puts 4D printing on an entirely different level than its 3D counterpart. As with most things in life, if you picture 3D printing as constructing an object layer by layer, the result is relatively passive and unchanging. In contrast, the first 4D object is foldable, bendable, and transformable in some manner that would be considered magical in conventional manufacturing.
As we mentioned earlier, the key to 4D printing is the materials used—intelligent materials. These materials can respond to external stimuli because of their programmability. For instance, the first printed object employs shape memory polymers, which revert to a programmed shape when activated by heat and light. This hybrid technology integrates two additive manufacturing methodologies: 3D printing and the chameleonic nature of these intelligent materials.
In other words, a geometric code is borrowed within the material during the printing process, which enables it to interact with specific stimuli. Once an object has been exposed to the programmed stimuli, it can regulate its material or form in a time-based manner, which is layered onto the already inherent 3D model.
The astonishing implications of 4D printing on our understanding of material science
The idea of printing an object that can transform shape or utility by itself, for most of us, is a revolution in material science and engineering. Of course, it is convenient to regard objects as frozen and unalterable once they have been produced and released into the world. The concept that an object can ‘grow’ or ‘adapt’ after production is a technological achievement and an assault on the senses.
What do you think is hard for the human brain to grasp? The concept of the fourth dimension? In this case, time. We live in a three-dimensional reality where every object, space, or location has a height, width, and depth. This change introduces time as an exciting component to interact with objects and free them from these dimensions. They work in a context that allows them to adapt or, as we could describe it, for living beings.
Embracing a new dimension in technology and design with 4D printing
It has taken a new dimension in technology and design as it printed the first 4D object. It revives the core of the existing and sets up a new frontier that is familiar in a sense but fundamentally different in others because it merges the two worlds. While we may still struggle to comprehend the implications of this technology fully, one thing is clear: 4D printing has arrived, and it promises to revolutionize our relationships with the physical environment utterly.
This new dimension is already just around the corner, and the only restriction one can think of is creativity. It is often beyond our capability to fathom, and the fourth dimension has been printed. But maybe with time—quite literally, in fact—we’ll finally get this revolutionary technology and all of its possibilities.
