Pine Cone Scale – bilayer actuator

Shape-change actuator driven by moisture absorption and desorption based on the biological role model of the pine cone scale.

Translating a hygroscopic bilayer principles for stress induced bending from the pine cone scale to a laminated wood veneer composite and then to a 4D Printed actuator.

A compliant mechanism that achieves motion in response to climatic changes without failure prone electromechanical components.

Related Publications:

Correa Zuluaga, D. and Menges, A. (2015) ‘3D Printed Hygroscopic Programmable Material Systems’, MRS Proceedings, vol. 1800, p. 1016.

Correa, D., Papadopoulou, A., Guberan, C., Jhaveri, N., Reichert, S., Menges, A. and Tibbits, S. (2015) ‘3D-Printed Wood: Programming Hygroscopic Material Transformations’, 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 106–116.

Correa, D. (2022) 4D printed hygroscopic programmable material architectures [Online], Stuttgart, Institute for Computational Design and Construction, University of Stuttgart. Available at https://elib.uni-stuttgart.de/handle/11682/12393.