Thematic
Analysis
Seven major themes emerged from the cross-analysis of the 17 research papers, highlighting the industry's shift towards complex, bio-inspired multi-material systems.
Identified Themes
Multi-Material 3D Printing and Composites
A significant number of papers explore the fabrication and characterization of multi-material composites using various 3D printing techniques, particularly PolyJet/Material Jetting. This includes combining materials with different properties (rigid and soft) to achieve tailored mechanical responses, functional grading, and bio-inspired structures.
Related Papers
3D-printed multimaterial composites tailored for compliancy and strain recovery
This study numerically and experimentally investigates the mechanical behavior of 3D periodic single-material cellular D-structures and co-continuous multimaterial composites, focusing on their compliancy and strain recovery properties.
3D Printing of Polymer Composites with Material Jetting: Mechanical and Fractographic Analysis
This research investigates the mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy of polymer composites fabricated using material jetting (PolyJet) 3D printing technology, focusing on the impact of composition, particle arrangement, and print orientation.
Mechanics of bioinspired functionally graded soft-hard composites made by multi-material 3D printing
This research investigates the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of bioinspired functionally graded soft-hard composites fabricated using multi-material 3D printing, focusing on the influence of gradient types (step-wise vs. continuous) on their performance.
Multi-material additive manufacturing in architecture and construction: A review
This paper reviews the current state of Multi-Material Additive Manufacturing (MMAM) in architecture and construction, exploring its potential to address industry challenges and enable new design and manufacturing possibilities.
Design and Mechanical Characterization Using Digital Image Correlation of Soft Tissue-Mimicking Polymers
This study focuses on designing and mechanically characterizing 3D-printed multi-material specimens that mimic the hierarchical structures of soft tissues like tendons and ligaments, using PolyJet technology and Digital Image Correlation (DIC). The goal is to develop more realistic anatomical models for biomedical applications.
PolyJet 3D Printing of Composite Materials: Experimental and Modelling Approach
This research investigates the mechanical properties of rigid-rubbery polymeric composite materials fabricated using the PolyJet 3D printing technique, focusing on both individual material responses and the interaction at the interface of multi-material parts.
Synthesis Note
This theme represents a critical area of development. The convergence of 6 papers on this topic suggests it is a primary driver for current innovation in the field.