Literature Review: Design and Characterization of Parametric Interlocking Microconnector Arrays for Additive Manufacturing

Notes to Reader[edit | edit source]

References managed on Zotero: zotero.org/groups/5433860

Background[edit | edit source]

The advent of 3D printing technology has revolutionized the manufacturing landscape, offering unprecedented control over the production of complex geometries and custom parts. This technology, also known as additive manufacturing, enables the creation of components with intricate details that were previously difficult or even impossible to manufacture with traditional subtractive methods. One of the compelling applications of 3D printing is the production of interlocking connectors, which facilitate the assembly of parts without the need for additional fastening hardware such as screws, bolts, or adhesives. The primary goal with this project is to harness the capabilities of 3D printing to simplify the assembly process by designing and generating parametric snap connectors. These connectors aim to reduce assembly time, minimize the complexity, and offer increased flexibility for the production of devices and instruments. By adopting an algorithmic approach to engineering and generating the designs of these connectors, we can develop a parameterized model that can be abstracted to use intuitive user inputs to alter the geometry. This can then be further abstracted to develop a program that manipulates the geometric parameters based on the physical input constraints and requirements.

Search Strategy & Terms[edit | edit source]

Key words terms (KWT)

1. "snap connector" AND "3D print"
2. "mechanical metasurfaces"
3. "microconnector" OR "micro connector"
4. "3d print snap fit"
5. "additive manufacturing snap fits"

Strategies

1. Searched [site] using KWT1 and KWT3

What are Interlocking Connectors?[edit | edit source]

Interlocking connectors are mechanisms designed to join two or more parts together through a physical configuration that 'locks' them in place, usually with a snap-fit or interlocking geometry. These connectors are engineered to hold components firmly together without the need for additional fastening methods, providing a quick and efficient method of assembly.

Theoretical Framework[edit | edit source]

1. Geometry and Implicits
   1. Polygons
   2. Tesselation
   3. Vector Manipulation
2. Mechanical and Materials engineering
   1. Mechanical Model of Engagement
   2. Additive Manufacturing
   3. Loading Profiles (Force Characterization)
   4. Stress and Failure Analysis

Significance and Importance[edit | edit source]

The development of 3D printed interlocking connectors holds significant importance in various sectors, including aerospace, medical, automotive, manufacturing, and consumer electronics. The ability to quickly assemble and disassemble components without additional tools or hardware is a substantial advancement, leading to reduced labor costs, enhanced product customization, and improved design iterations. Furthermore, it opens up possibilities for on-demand manufacturing and repair, reducing the reliance on extensive inventories of spare parts.

Current State of the Art[edit | edit source]

Write once the bulk of the review is completed.

Relevant Stakeholders[edit | edit source]

The "Who" of the topic.

Applicability and Context[edit | edit source]

The applicability of 3D printed interlocking connectors is vast and context-dependent. In the industries such as aerospace, automotive and manufacturing, for instance, they can reduce the weight and complexity of assemblies, contributing to efficiency and ease of maintenance. In consumer goods, these connectors can enable customizable products that are easily upgradable or repairable by the end-user, promoting a more sustainable lifecycle. The context extends to unique or demanding environments, such as space or underwater applications, where traditional fastening methods be impractical or fail to meet requirements.

Literature[edit | edit source]

TODO[edit | edit source]

• Create lists and sub-lists of topics that need to be further reviewed.

Subtopic 1[edit | edit source]

Paper/Website/Source Title[edit | edit source]

Zotero citation field with the URL (DOI preferred).

• Each top-level point should be a clear and concise key item from the source (methodology, info, design, gap, etc.)
  • Sub points are to be concise explanations of critical aspects of the key item
  • Should not be a copy and paste of info but rather an interpretation of what parts are relevant and why, selective copy & paste of relevant snippets is fine

Metamaterials / 4D Printing / Functional 3D Printing[edit | edit source]

Metamaterials are engineered materials with unique properties not typically found in nature. Here, we're exploring the design of tessellated interlocking connectors, which can be considered a form of mechanical metamaterial.

3D-printed Metamaterials with Versatile Functionalities[edit | edit source]

L. Wu, J. Xue, X. Tian, T. Liu, and D. Li, “3D-printed Metamaterials with Versatile Functionalities,” Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering: Additive Manufacturing Frontiers, vol. 2, no. 3, p. 100091, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.cjmeam.2023.100091.

• Presents the current state of 3D printed metamaterials and introduces important concepts and research in the area
  • Metamaterials Overview:
    • Engineered to exhibit unique properties not found in natural materials.
    • Initially developed for electromagnetic wave manipulation (e.g., cloaking, negative index).
    • Expansion into manipulating other energy forms: thermal, acoustic, mechanical.
  • Advancements via 3D Printing:
    • 3D printing enables complex, multiscale metamaterial fabrication.
    • Boost in structural complexity and material variety.
    • Facilitates novel metamaterials with integrated functionalities.
  • Mechanical Metamaterials:
    • Applications in energy absorption, shape morphing, vibration isolation.
    • Developments in bistable structures and mechanical logic gates.
    • Examples include Kirigami structures, gyroid materials, and hierarchical honeycombs.
  • Thermal Metamaterials:
    • Designed for thermal flux manipulation (cloaking, concentration, camouflage).
    • Examples include transformation-based thermal cloaks and gradient unit cells.
    • 3D printing enables complex structure fabrication for advanced thermal management.
  • Electromagnetic (EM) Metamaterials:
    • Used for wave absorption, reflection, focusing.
    • 3D printing aids in fabricating complex nano-scale structures.
    • Applications in communication, energy harvesting, sensing.
  • Acoustic Metamaterials:
    • Control sound waves for cloaking, bandgaps, absorption.
    • Developments in phononic crystals and locally resonant structures.
    • Applications in sound attenuation and wave deflection.
  • Future Trends:
    • Integration of multiple functionalities within single structures.
    • Use of bio-based materials for sustainability.
    • Advances in printing techniques for finer features.
  • Limitations and Challenges:
    • Material compatibility with 3D printing processes.
    • Computational intensity in designing complex structures.
    • Production speed and scalability for large-scale applications.
  • Interdisciplinary Approach:
    • Collaboration across materials science, engineering, and computational modeling.
    • Overcoming limitations through advancements in machine learning and design tools.
    • Potential for widespread application in various industries.

A Review on Metasurface: From Principle to Smart Metadevices[edit | edit source]

J. Hu, S. Bandyopadhyay, Y. Liu, and L. Shao, “A Review on Metasurface: From Principle to Smart Metadevices,” Frontiers in Physics, vol. 8, 2021, Accessed: Nov. 11, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2020.586087; https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2020.586087

• Metasurfaces are 2D versions of metamaterials, designed to control the electromagnetic wavefronts with less complexity than 3D structures.
  • These surfaces have drawn global interest for their ability to achieve properties not possible with conventional materials.
  • Metasurfaces are more practical than their 3D counterparts due to simpler fabrication methods like lithography and nanoimprinting.
• Practical applications span creating advanced optical elements such as meta-lenses, cloaks, and holography that outperform traditional diffractive elements.
• Soft metasurfaces, adaptable to conformal or wearable photonics, are introduced, expanding application domains.
• Dynamic metasurfaces are being developed, whose properties can be altered post-fabrication using mechanical, electrical, or optical stimuli.
• The fusion of optical fibers with metasurfaces holds promise for creating innovative optical devices, enhancing both domains' capabilities.
• The research emphasizes addressing the challenges in tunability and reconfigurability to extend metasurface applications.
• The paper concludes with the potential of integrating AI for developing intelligent metadevices and the anticipation of their impact on technology.

“Smaller and stronger,” Nature Mater[edit | edit source]

X. Li and H. Gao, “Smaller and stronger,” Nature Mater, vol. 15, no. 4, Art. no. 4, Apr. 2016, doi: 10.1038/nmat4591.

• Metamaterials are made from one or multiple materials arranged in repetitive, hierarchically organized geometric patterns.
• Their design can be tailored to exhibit unique mechanical, thermal, electrical, and optical properties unattainable in standard materials.

Additive manufacturing of metamaterials: A review[edit | edit source]

M. Askari et al., “Additive manufacturing of metamaterials: A review,” Additive Manufacturing, vol. 36, p. 101562, Dec. 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.addma.2020.101562.

• Very long

Future of additive manufacturing: Overview of 4D and 3D printed smart and advanced materials and their applications

K. R. Ryan, M. P. Down, and C. E. Banks, “Future of additive manufacturing: Overview of 4D and 3D printed smart and advanced materials and their applications,” Chemical Engineering Journal, vol. 403, p. 126162, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.cej.2020.126162.

• Write

Recent Advances in the Additive Manufacturing of Stimuli-Responsive Soft Polymers[edit | edit source]

A. Tariq et al., “Recent Advances in the Additive Manufacturing of Stimuli-Responsive Soft Polymers,” Advanced Engineering Materials, vol. 25, no. 21, p. 2301074, 2023, doi: 10.1002/adem.202301074.

• Write

Mechanical Metamaterials[edit | edit source]

Advances in 3D/4D printing of mechanical metamaterials: From manufacturing to applications[edit | edit source]

X. Zhou et al., “Advances in 3D/4D printing of mechanical metamaterials: From manufacturing to applications,” Composites Part B: Engineering, vol. 254, p. 110585, Apr. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2023.110585.

• Defines mechanical metamaterials (MMM) as a class of functional materials with designability and extraordinary mechanical properties.
  • Before the advent/adoption of 3D printing they were confined mostly to theoretical and simulation analysis, 3D printing made it accssible
  • Development of 4D printing extends the complexity by allowing for printing of smart programmable mechanical materials
• Covers types of 3D printing technology used for MMMs then presents the structures and designs of several common mechanical metamaterials in 3D printing
• Looks at trends and future prospects in this area

Recent advances in additive manufacturing of active mechanical metamaterials[edit | edit source]

S. M. Montgomery, X. Kuang, C. D. Armstrong, and H. J. Qi, “Recent advances in additive manufacturing of active mechanical metamaterials,” Current Opinion in Solid State and Materials Science, vol. 24, no. 5, p. 100869, Oct. 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.cossms.2020.100869.

• Write

3D-printed bio-inspired zero Poisson’s ratio graded metamaterials with high energy absorption performance[edit | edit source]

R. Hamzehei, A. Zolfagharian, S. Dariushi, and M. Bodaghi, “3D-printed bio-inspired zero Poisson’s ratio graded metamaterials with high energy absorption performance,” Smart Mater. Struct., vol. 31, no. 3, p. 035001, Jan. 2022, doi: 10.1088/1361-665X/ac47d6.

• Write

Multimaterial 3D printed self-locking thick-panel origami metamaterials[edit | edit source]

H. Ye et al., “Multimaterial 3D printed self-locking thick-panel origami metamaterials,” Nat Commun, vol. 14, no. 1, Art. no. 1, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.1038/s41467-023-37343-w.

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An optimization approach to design deformation patterns in perforated mechanical metamaterials using distributions of Poisson’s ratio-based unit cells[edit | edit source]

J. Yao, Y. Su, F. Scarpa, and Y. Li, “An optimization approach to design deformation patterns in perforated mechanical metamaterials using distributions of Poisson’s ratio-based unit cells,” Composite Structures, vol. 281, p. 115015, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2021.115015.

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Ultralight, ultrastiff mechanical metamaterials[edit | edit source]

X. Zheng et al., “Ultralight, ultrastiff mechanical metamaterials,” Science, vol. 344, no. 6190, pp. 1373–1377, Jun. 2014, doi: 10.1126/science.1252291.

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Closed-cell metamaterial composites 3D printed with hybrid FFF process for tunable mechanical and functional properties[edit | edit source]

M. J. Prajapati, A. Kumar, S.-C. Lin, and J.-Y. Jeng, “Closed-cell metamaterial composites 3D printed with hybrid FFF process for tunable mechanical and functional properties,” Thin-Walled Structures, vol. 192, p. 111168, Nov. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.tws.2023.111168.

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Mechanical metamaterials at the theoretical limit of isotropic elastic stiffness[edit | edit source]

J. B. Berger, H. N. G. Wadley, and R. M. McMeeking, “Mechanical metamaterials at the theoretical limit of isotropic elastic stiffness,” Nature, vol. 543, no. 7646, Art. no. 7646, Mar. 2017, doi: 10.1038/nature21075.

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Mechanical metamaterials: The strength awakens[edit | edit source]

G. Pacchioni, “Mechanical metamaterials: The strength awakens,” Nat Rev Mater, vol. 1, no. 3, Art. no. 3, Feb. 2016, doi: 10.1038/natrevmats.2016.12.

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Rational designs of mechanical metamaterials: Formulations, architectures, tessellations and prospects[edit | edit source]

J. Gao et al., “Rational designs of mechanical metamaterials: Formulations, architectures, tessellations and prospects,” Materials Science and Engineering: R: Reports, vol. 156, p. 100755, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.mser.2023.100755.

• Write

Interlocking Connectors[edit | edit source]

A micromolded connector for reconfigurable millirobots[edit | edit source]

A. G. Gillies and R. S. Fearing, “A micromolded connector for reconfigurable millirobots,” J. Micromech. Microeng., vol. 20, no. 10, p. 105011, Oct. 2010, doi: 10.1088/0960-1317/20/10/105011.

• Introduction / background
• Microconnector design demonstrates a practical approach to creating strong, reusable connections at small scales.
• Highlights advancements in micro-scale connection technology.
• Offers insights into the challenges and solutions in creating small-scale, robust, and reusable connectors.
• Demonstrates the integration of advanced manufacturing techniques like 3D printing and micromolding for creating intricate structures.
• Serves as a practical example of engineering novel solutions for challenges in robotics and potentially in metasurfaces.

Combining mechanical interlocking, force fit and direct adhesion in polymer–metal-hybrid structures – Evaluation of the deformation and damage behavior[edit | edit source]

H. Paul, M. Luke, and F. Henning, “Combining mechanical interlocking, force fit and direct adhesion in polymer–metal-hybrid structures – Evaluation of the deformation and damage behavior,” Composites Part B: Engineering, vol. 73, pp. 158–165, May 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2014.12.013.

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Interlocking Metasurface | 3D CAD Model Library | GrabCAD.[edit | edit source]

“Interlocking Metasurface | 3D CAD Model Library | GrabCAD.” Accessed: Nov. 27, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://grabcad.com/library/interlocking-metasurface-1/details?folder_id=13836778

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Interlocking metasurfaces[edit | edit source]

O. Bolmin, B. Young, N. Leathe, P. J. Noell, and B. L. Boyce, “Interlocking metasurfaces,” J Mater Sci, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 411–419, Jan. 2023, doi: 10.1007/s10853-022-08015-9.

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Optimized design of interlocking metasurfaces[edit | edit source]

N. K. Brown, B. Young, B. Clark, O. Bolmin, B. L. Boyce, and P. J. Noell, “Optimized design of interlocking metasurfaces,” Materials & Design, vol. 233, p. 112272, Sep. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2023.112272.

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Synergistic strengthening in interlocking metasurfaces[edit | edit source]

B. Young, O. Bolmin, B. Boyce, and P. Noell, “Synergistic strengthening in interlocking metasurfaces,” Materials & Design, vol. 227, p. 111798, Mar. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2023.111798.

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Design of Microfabricated Mechanically Interlocking Metamaterials for Reworkable Heterogeneous Integration[edit | edit source]

G. A. Garcia, K. Wakumoto, and J. J. Brown, “Design of Microfabricated Mechanically Interlocking Metamaterials for Reworkable Heterogeneous Integration,” Journal of Electronic Packaging, vol. 144, no. 041004, Nov. 2021, doi: 10.1115/1.4052325.

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3D Printing Connectors[edit | edit source]

Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing-Driven Design and Testing of the Snapping Interlocking Metasurface Mechanism ShroomLock

P. Gloyer, L. N. Schek, H. L. Flöttmann, P. Wüst, and C. Völlmecke, “Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing-Driven Design and Testing of the Snapping Interlocking Metasurface Mechanism ShroomLock,” Inventions, vol. 8, no. 6, Art. no. 6, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.3390/inventions8060137.

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Modelling, additive layer manufacturing and testing of interlocking structures for joined components[edit | edit source]

G. Peralta Marino, S. De la Pierre, M. Salvo, A. Díaz Lantada, and M. Ferraris, “Modelling, additive layer manufacturing and testing of interlocking structures for joined components,” Sci Rep, vol. 12, no. 1, Art. no. 1, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-06521-z.

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Computational Engineering / Design[edit | edit source]

Mechanical Analysis, Testing and Characterization[edit | edit source]

DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SINGLE CRYSTAL SILICON LATCHING SNAP FASTENERS FOR MICRO ASSEMBLY R. Prasad and N. C. MacDonald, “DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SINGLE CRYSTAL SILICON LATCHING SNAP FASTENERS FOR MICRO ASSEMBLY”. https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~sequin/CS298/PAPERS/SnapFasteners_bohringer.pdf

• Figure 2 is a great simple geometric base design (2D) schematic of a snap fastener displaying segments and angular relations.
  • Figure 3 & Figure 4 then relates these parameters to an approximate Newtonian force model for the latching mechanism.

On The Motion of Compliantly-Connected Rigid Bodies in Contact, Part I: The Motion Prediction Problem[edit | edit source]

D. K. Pai, “On The Motion of Compliantly-Connected Rigid Bodies in Contact, Part I: The Motion Prediction Problem”. https://archive.org/details/DTIC_ADA214135/page/n13/mode/2up

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Standard Test Method for Holding Strength of Prong-Ring Attached Snap Fasteners (ASTM_D7142-05)[edit | edit source]

Standard Test Method for Holding Strength of Prong-Ring Attached Snap Fasteners. (2021). https://www.astm.org/d7142-05r21.html

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Standard Test Method for Resistance to Unsnapping of Snap Fasteners (ASTM_D7142-05)[edit | edit source]

Standard Test Method for Resistance to Unsnapping of Snap Fasteners. (2021). Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://www.astm.org/d4846-96r21.html

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Standard Terminology Relating to Fastener Subassemblies Used in the Manufacture of Textiles (ASTM_D2050-23)[edit | edit source]

Standard Terminology Relating to Fastener Subassemblies Used in the Manufacture of Textiles. (n.d.). Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://www.astm.org/d2050-23.html

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