How will 4D printing disrupt our current manufacturing techniques?

In April 2013, Skylar Tibbits, founder of the MIT Self-Assembly Lab, hosted a TEDx conference in which he introduced a new concept to the 3D printing process. For the first time, he introduced a fourth dimension to this technology that was already disrupting many sectors. He explained that 4D printing was like adding a new feature to a material that would be used for 3D printing, more precisely it was the material’s ability to transform over time. In fact, thanks to 4D printing, a material can change shape by itself, without any human intervention but simply over the influence of external factors such as light, heat, vibration, etc.

Since then, 4D printing has attracted the interest of many industries that see great potential for customizing devices and structures. According to the 2019 Gartner Report, interest in 4D printing is growing. By 2023, startups focusing on this technology should attract $300 million in venture capital. So inevitably, faced with this observation, we wonder what will the future of 4D printing be. Will it replace additive manufacturing for some applications? What will be its impact on the industry?

This 3D printed object gradually changes shape due to external factors. In other words it’s a 4D printed object | Credits: Self-Assembly Lab

How does 4D printing work?

4D printing is strongly inspired by the principle of self-assembly, which is not a new concept. You have probably heard of molecular self-assembly where molecules form complex structures without any human intervention. A concept widely used in nanotechnology as well for example. 4D printing therefore takes this principle to the next level. If it’s possible for small structures on a microscopic scale to assemble and move on their own, why not imagine it on larger 3D printed objects?