Investigating Mechanical Behavior of 3D Printed Compliant and Origami-Inspired Mechanisms

Abstract The fused filament fabrication 3D printer is growing in popularity amongst designers. When manufacturing actuating mechanisms, however, it can often be difficult to use 3D printers to achieve desired behavior. Two essential areas of active mechanisms — compliant mechanisms and origami-based mechanisms — are explored in this paper. The design of compliant mechanisms for specific applications often requires them to achieve specific kinetics, which necessitates knowledge of material and mechanical properties. When 3D printing with polymers, mechanical properties vary widely based on a variety of factors, including process parameters. Through a thorough study involving systematically changing several parameters of the slicer and performing a three-point bending test on a 3D printed specimen, mechanical properties for a variety of parameters are recorded. These tests indicate that compliant mechanisms can be 3D printed from polymers to achieve desired mechanical properties from the mechanism. Manufacturing origami-inspired mechanisms often requires assembly, where precise alignment of panels is essential. Through changing process parameters, thickened origami flashers and patterns may be 3D printed in a single operation, thus eliminating the need for assembly. This is achieved through designing compliant living hinges into the 3D model and altering process parameters to ensure that these hinges are flexible and durable. Through using these process parameters and test results or through applying the framework presented here with their own 3D printer or material, designers can more effectively use 3D printing to design and rapidly prototype compliant mechanisms and origami-inspired mechanisms.