The team also tested the system in deployable structures. In one demonstration, they used the Y-Zipper to rapidly assemble a tent-like structure, with the three-sided mechanism serving as both the structural support frame and the joining system. According to the team, setup time dropped from roughly six minutes to one minute and 20 seconds because the zipper effectively snaps the structure into place.
Medical applications are another possible target. The researchers created a wrist-cast prototype that wrapped the mechanism around a wrist cast, allowing users to loosen it during the day for comfort before tightening it again at night for support.
Beyond engineering applications, the system can also produce dynamic moving structures for art and design. One prototype resembled a mechanical flower that “bloomed” as a motor zipped the structure upward.
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Durability testing showed the mechanism surviving roughly 18,000 zip-and-unzip cycles before failure. According to the researchers, the structure’s elastic behavior helps distribute stress across the assembly instead of concentrating it in a single area.
The team evaluated versions of the structure made from popular 3D-printing materials , polylactic acid (PLA) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). PLA handled heavier loads more effectively, while TPU provided greater flexibility. Future versions could use stronger materials such as metal and scale to much larger sizes. Researchers also suggested possible aerospace applications, including deployable spacecraft structures and robotic systems capable of grabbing rock samples during exploration missions.
The work was presented at the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI) in April and detailed in a paper titled "Y-Zipper: 3D Printing Flexible–Rigid Transition Mechanism for Rapid and Reversible Assembly."
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Etiido Uko is a news contributor for Tom's Hardware covering the latest updates in big tech and the PC industry. He is a mechanical engineer and senior technical writer with over nine years of experience in documentation and reporting. He is deeply passionate about all things engineering and technology, and is an expert in gadgets, manufacturing, robotics, automotive, and aerospace. ","collapsible":{"enabled":true,"maxHeight":250,"readMoreText":"Read more","readLessText":"Read less"}}), "https://slice.vanilla.futurecdn.net/13-4-23/js/authorBio.js"); } else { console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); } Etiido Uko Social Links Navigation News Contributor Etiido Uko is a news contributor for Tom's Hardware covering the latest updates in big tech and the PC industry. He is a mechanical engineer and senior technical writer with over nine years of experience in documentation and reporting. He is deeply passionate about all things engineering and technology, and is an expert in gadgets, manufacturing, robotics, automotive, and aerospace.
Notton Okay, now that's pretty cool. Watching the video, it seems the shape has to be predefined, but can be easily flattened or rolled up for transport. If it can handle twisting loads, it might be good for a crush-able steering column. Reply
deesider turns floppy tentacles into rigid beams in seconds I get a lot of emails about this Reply
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Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/mit-researchers-revive-40-year-old-triangular-zipper-concept-now-made-possible-by-3d-printing-creates-shape-shifting-robots-and-deployable-structures-3d-printed-y-zipper-turns-floppy-tentacles-into-rigid-beams-in-seconds#main
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