A programmable modular lattice metamaterial with multiple deformations

This paper describes a class of lattice metamaterials with tunable mechanical properties controlled by the material modulus and structural parameters of the cellular units. The deformation shapes can also be changed by external control. We have developed 3D printed quadrilateral cellular TPU units with specially shaped edge walls. A simplified mechanical model of the different cell deformation processes is established and verified by numerical simulations and experiments. On this basis, by tessellating and matching these transformations together, we create assembly grids with adjustable stiffness and deformation shapes controlled by thermal and displacement constraints.