Ongoing LAP Project: 4D-Printed Smart Energy Absorbers for Automotive Applications
27.04.2026

This ongoing project, funded by Atılım University under the LAP program, is led by Project Executive: Asst. Prof. Dr. Ali Fallah, with the active involvement of undergraduate researchers Sezin Selamoğlu, Selin Çelik, İbrahim Onur Kılıç, and Nureddin Saadet. The project focuses on the development of next-generation energy-absorbing structures using 4D printing technologies. By combining advanced cellular geometries such as TPMS and auxetic structures with shape-memory polymers, the study aims to create lightweight, high-performance, and reusable energy absorbers for automotive safety applications. In particular, the project investigates PCTG as a novel material with improved mechanical strength, printability, and shape-recovery performance compared to conventional materials such as PLA and PETG.

The project is currently in progress, with the design and fabrication of various 3D-printed samples successfully completed and initial experimental testing underway. Ongoing work includes mechanical characterization, shape-memory evaluation, and multi-cycle reusability assessment of the printed structures. The results are expected to provide experimentally validated guidelines for designing reusable, high-efficiency energy absorbers, with potential applications in automotive crash boxes, bumper systems, and pedestrian safety components.