Mechanical performance of reconfigurable origami structures fabricated by cutting and planar assembly

Abstract

Origami structures with reconfigurable properties typically exhibit multifunctionality due to their diverse shape transformations. However, such structures often incorporate non-Euclidean vertices, rendering them non-developable and incapable of being flattened, and thus typically necessitate 3D printing for fabrication. In this study, a method of planar cutting and folding followed by assembly has been developed. The planar cut origami structure(PCOS), fabricated using this method, consists of non-Euclidean origami units that undergo transitions between mountain and valley folds during the folding process, granting the structure a high degree of reconfigurability. Through shape reconfiguration, the structure can achieve various self-locking and non-self-locking configurations. Compression tests in the Z-direction were conducted on multiple configurations, both self-locking and non-self-locking. The results demonstrate a significant difference in Z-direction compressive performance between the two types. When all units are self-locked, the peak stress reaches 139 kPa, representing an approximate 267 times increase compared to the non-self-locking configuration. Additionally, the mechanical performance is directly influenced by the number and distribution of self-locking units. By adjusting the self-locking units and their distribution, the peak stress of the model can be tuned to several gradient ranges, including 10⁰ kPa, 10¹ kPa, 2 × 10¹ kPa, 3 × 10¹ kPa, and 10² kPa. This reconfiguration of mechanical properties, driven by geometric transformations, allows the planar cut origami structure to perform different functions depending on the environment, demonstrating significant potential for practical engineering applications.