Geometric Simulation for Thick Origami

Abstract

Origami is an art that creates a three-dimensional (3D) shape only by folding. This capability has drawn much research attention recently, and its applied or inspired designs are utilized in various engineering applications. Most current designs are based on the existing origami patterns and their known deformation, but origami patterns are universally designed for zero-thickness like a paper. To extend the designs for engineering applications, simulation of origami is needed to help designers explore and understand the designs, and the simulation must take the material thickness into account. With the observation that origami is mainly a geometry design problem, this paper develops a geometric simulation for thick origami, similar to a pseudo-physics approach. The actuation, constraints, and mountain/valley assignments of origami are also incorporated in the geometric formulation. Experimental results show that the proposed method is efficient and accurate. It can simulate successfully the bistable property of a waterbomb base, two different action origami, and the elasticity of origami panels when they are not rigid.