Related to the emerging field of 3D printing of complex real world objects, but taking a different path, researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a means to use a normal inkjet printer to print a pattern of lines and other simple geometric shapes onto plastic, and then (the fun part) shine a light on the output and watch it assemble itself into 3D shapes.
It is very much in it's beginning phase, so who knows where it might lead. I suspect it will eventually become part of the larger 3D printing toolbox.
The science is actually pretty straight forward. As they explain it:
- Researchers take a pre-stressed plastic sheet and run it through a conventional inkjet printer to print bold black lines on the material. The material is then cut into a desired pattern and placed under an infrared light, such as a heat lamp.
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The bold black lines absorb more energy than the rest of the material, causing the plastic to contract – creating a hinge that folds the sheets into 3-D shapes.
This technique can be used to create a variety of objects, such as cubes or pyramids, without ever having to physically touch the material. The technique is compatible with commercial printing techniques, such as screen printing, roll-to-roll printing, and inkjet printing, that are inexpensive and high-throughput but inherently 2-D.
Take a look at this video to see it in action.
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