4-D printing is additive manufacturing that prints objects capable of transformation and perhaps even self-assembly.
When a complex item is created using 3-D printing, the item is printed in parts that must be assembled. The purpose of 4-D printing is to reduce the total time needed to create a finished product by printing with materials that are capable of changing form or self-assembling with minimal human interaction. The “D” in 4-D printing stands for time — more specifically, time saved. Continue reading