Inverse design of programmable shape-morphing kirigami structures

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel two-stage framework for designing programmable shape-morphing kirigami structures that can deploy from compact to prescribed shapes under mechanical stimuli, combining FEA, GA, and energy models.

Contribution

It introduces a new design framework linking geometry and mechanics of kirigami, enabling efficient and robust shape-morphing structure design.

Findings

Framework successfully designs deployable kirigami structures

Combines FEA, GA, and analytical models for optimization

Applicable to various physical stimuli beyond mechanics

Abstract

Shape-morphing structures have the capability to transform from one state to another, making them highly valuable in engineering applications. In this study, it is propose a two-stage shape-morphing framework inspired by kirigami structures to design structures that can deploy from a compacted state to a prescribed state under certain mechanical stimuli -- although the framework may also be extended to accommodate various physical fields, such as magnetic, thermal, and electric fields. The framework establishes a connection between the geometry and mechanics of kirigami structures. The proposed approach combines the finite element analysis (FEA), genetic algorithm (GA), and an analytical energy-based model to obtain kirigami designs with robustness and efficiency.