Affiliation:
1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering Cornell University 126 Hollister Drive Ithaca NY 14850 USA
2. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Cornell University 124 Hoy Road Ithaca NY 14850 USA
Abstract
AbstractComputed Axial Lithography (CAL) is an emerging technology for manufacturing complex parts, all at once, by circumventing the traditional layered approach using tomography. Overprinting, a unique additive manufacturing capability of CAL, allows for a 3D geometry to be formed around a prepositioned insert where the occlusion of light is compensated for by the other angular projections. This method opens the door for novel applications within additive manufacturing for multi‐material systems such as endoskeletal robots. Herein, this work presents one such application with a simple Gelatin Methacrylate (GelMA)hydrogel osmotic actuator with an embedded endoskeletal system. GelMA is an ideal material for this application as it is swellable and has reversible thermal gelation, enabling suspension of the endoskeleton during printing. By tuning the material formulation, the actuator design, and post‐processing, swelling‐induced bending actuation of 60 degrees is achieved. To aid in the printing process, a simple computational method for determining the absolute dose absorbed by the resin allowing for print time prediction is also proposed.
Funder
National Science Foundation
Air Force Office of Scientific Research
Office of Naval Research