Research and Applications of 4D Printing

Abstract
4D printing is an extension to 3D printing that has been popularly applied to varying industrial practice. 4D printing can be considered as 3D printing + time while using smart materials so that a 4D printed product can exhibit in different shape/dimension, material property, functionality and/or controllability against time. Along this thread, this presentation will cover the basics of 4D printing to gain better understanding from audience on this topic, followed by examples of its initial applications to illustrate the potential of this relatively new research area. While 4D printing show great promise in future smart manufacturing, challenges towards its real-world industrial applications remain to be identified and will be highlighted in this seminar.

Biography
Lihui Wang is a Chair Professor of Sustainable Manufacturing at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. His research interests are focused on cyber-physical systems, human-robot collaborations, real-time monitoring and control, brain robotics, 4D printing, and adaptive manufacturing systems. Professor Wang is actively engaged in various professional activities. He is the Editor-in-Chief of three manufacturing journals: Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing, Journal of Manufacturing Systems, and International Journal of Manufacturing Research. He has published 10 books and authored in excess of 680 scientific publications. Professor Wang is a Fellow of CAE (Canadian Academy of Engineering), CIRP (International Academy for Production Engineering), SME and ASME, the Past President of North American Manufacturing Research Institution of SME (2020-2021), and the Past Chairman of Swedish Production Academy (2018-2020). He was elected one of the 20 Most Influential Professors in Smart Manufacturing in 2020, and was chosen to receive an SME Gold Medal in 2024.