Digital Fabrication, Smart Materials
Foldem: Heterogeneous Object Fabrication via Selective Ablation of Multi-Material Sheets
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Foldem, a novel method of rapid fabrication of objects with multi-material properties is presented. Our specially formulated Foldem sheet allows users to fabricate and easily assemble objects with rigid, bendable, and flexible properties using a standard laser-cutter. The user begins by creating his designs in a vector graphics software package. A laser cutter is then used to fabricate the design by selectively ablating/vaporizing one or more layers of the Foldem sheet to achieve the desired physical properties for each joint. Herein the composition of the Foldem sheet, as well as various design considerations taken into account while building and designing the method, are described. Sample objects made with Foldem are demonstrated, each showcasing the unique attributes of Foldem. Additionally, a novel method for carefully calibrating a laser cutter for precise ablation is presented.
Depth controlled laser cutting of multi material stacks increases the range of material properties of prototypes and objects. A selection of various, foldable, rigid and bendable objects is shown here.
Adjustable ailerons of a balsa glider with the entire wing fabricated in one pass.
Stacks of materials with coloured fuming agents in between them allow for easy calibration of the laser power and speed.
