Knowledge Bank

Stimuli responsive materials have shown great potential in the ability to add functionality to designs to achieve and complete certain tasks. While not ubiquitous, applications so far have been found in fields of soft robotics in the case of mechanical grippers to drug delivery for minimally invasive surgeries. These materials operate by exhibiting certain mechanical properties once under the stimulation from an external stimulus. In the case of Magnetic Shape Memory Polymer (M-SMP), it responds with a combination of magnetic field intensity and direction along with temperature control to allow shape locking and unlocking below and above the glass transition temperature, respectively. Current fabrication methods inhibit the ability to combine functional ability of configurable mechanical properties with functional designs such as those used in springs. In this thesis, a method of 3D printing, Digital Light Processing (DLP), is explored as an avenue to develop and characterize feasibility and quality of printing custom complex millimeter-scale components. In developing a custom DLP enabled setup, formulating photosensitive m-SMP resin, and demonstrating functionality combined with various complexity, it is shown that it is possible to combine design complexity with material functionality. This research effectively expands the ability to apply complex geometric designs that can be manufactured and allows a fuller range of ability of fabricated parts.