Over the past three decades, various 3D printing/additive manufacturing processes have been developed for a wide range of engineering applications. Advancements in 3D printing have enabled 4D and 5D printing, which are now offering a wide spectrum of applications across engineering, structural, biomedical, and automotive domains. However, both 3D printing and 4D printing require support materials for fabrication, which consume more time and ultimately affect part quality and limit applicability. 5D Printing is the next evolution of 3D printing and 4D printing, heralding a new era in sustainable manufacturing. Unlike traditional additive manufacturing methods, 4D and 5D printing integrate additional dimensions: time and material composition. This technological evolution optimizes resource use by dynamically adjusting material properties during printing, reducing waste and energy consumption. 5D printing enables altering an object’s characteristics over time, enhances the functionality of manufactured parts, and extends the lifespan of products. Adding the principles of the circular economy, 4D and 5D printing hold immense potential to revolutionize additive manufacturing. The proposed course covers the theories, practices, and circular-economy aspects of 4D and 5D printing, based on extrusion, metal, and gel-based 3D printing processes. The course aims to provide comprehensive knowledge of the 4D and 5D printing processes applicable to the primary, secondary, and tertiary recycling of polymers and metals. This course will also highlight the fabrication of rapid tooling via 4D and 5D in biomedical applications.
The course entitled “4D and 5D Printing for Sustainable Manufacturing: Principles, Theory and Practices” covers the theories, practices, and circular-economy aspects of 4D and 5D printing, based on extrusion, metal, and gel-based 3D printing processes. 5D printing enables altering an object’s characteristics over time, enhances the functionality of manufactured parts, and extends product lifespan. By integrating the principles of the circular economy, 4D and 5D printing hold immense potential to revolutionize additive manufacturing. The course aims to provide comprehensive knowledge of the 4D and 5D printing processes applicable to the primary, secondary, and tertiary recycling of polymers and metals. This course will also highlight the fabrication of rapid tooling in biomedical applications. The systematic organization of the course’s content provides theoretical and practical insights into primary, secondary, and tertiary recycling, using 4D and 5D printing to boost the circular economy. Therefore, this course is useful for undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral students/scholars, scientists, entrepreneurs, and professionals.
