For example, FDM is suitable for producing small- to medium-sized ... (Image: Engineering, CC BY) The advent of 4D printing takes the concept a step further. Shape-memory materials are at the core of ...

Precise and flexible 3D manufacturing techniques make it possible to individually tailor everything from prosthetics to drugs.

Moreover, researchers are developing 4D printing, which creates objects that can change shape over time, potentially leading to medical devices that can adapt to the body’s needs. For example ...

More information: Jianchen Zheng et al, 4D Printed Butterfly-Inspired Hydrogel Structures: Simple Strategies for Multiform Morphing, ACS Materials Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialslett.4c02589 ...