A biomimetic jellyfish robot and its manufacturing method based on 4D printing.

Abstract

This invention provides a biomimetic jellyfish robot and its manufacturing method based on 4D printing, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Establishing the outer shell and tentacles model of the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to the design given in the drawings; Step 2: Creating a printing model using modeling software and exporting the model in .gcode format; Step 3: Drying the PEEK filament before printing, and then loading the PEEK material into the 3D printer; Step 4: Importing the .gcode file from Step 2 into the 3D printer, and using the dried PEEK material from Step 3 to print on the substrate; Step 5: After the model is printed, removing the printed PEEK sample from the substrate; Step 6: Placing the PEEK sample removed in Step 5 in an electrically heated blast oven for constant temperature annealing, and then removing it. This invention significantly saves printing time and material consumption, and replaces manual assembly, thereby reducing labor costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to additive manufacturing technology and related marine engineering equipment manufacturing, and more particularly to a biomimetic jellyfish robot and its manufacturing method based on 4D printing. Background Technology

[0002] Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a special engineering plastic with excellent properties such as high temperature resistance, resistance to marine environment corrosion, and self-lubrication, giving it an advantage in marine engineering applications.

[0003] When printing PEEK, a 3D printer with a nozzle temperature of 400-450℃, a platform temperature of 100-160℃, and a chamber temperature of 80-140℃ is required. An electric heating oven with a temperature of up to 180℃ is also needed to dehumidify the PEEK filament before printing and to anneal and heat deform the PEEK sample.

[0004] PEEK is an aromatic semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer. After 3D printing, samples require isothermal annealing to increase crystallinity and improve mechanical properties. Isothermal annealing also enhances interlayer bonding in PEEK samples. Typically, isothermal annealing of PEEK samples takes about four hours, increasing time costs. Furthermore, the ventilation structure of an electrically heated oven can cause uneven deformation during isothermal annealing. From another perspective, annealing allows PEEK material to undergo shape changes along the "time" axis. Incorporating time as a fourth dimension and combining it with 3D printing creates a 4D printing method specifically for PEEK.

[0005] Underwater robots 3D printed using traditional methods generally lack flexibility and struggle to dynamically adapt to complex and changing marine environments. The biomimetic jellyfish robot printed using the method of this invention, combined with the thermal deformation capability of the PEEK sample, can improve its mechanical properties while reducing material and time costs. By installing underwater thrusters, the biomimetic jellyfish robot can propel and steer underwater, and by installing underwater cameras, it can perform monitoring and exploration functions in harsh working conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, a biomimetic jellyfish robot and its manufacturing method based on 4D printing are provided.

[0007] The technical means employed in this invention are as follows:

[0008] A biomimetic jellyfish robot consists of four parts: jellyfish tentacles, a jellyfish shell, an underwater propeller, and an underwater camera. The jellyfish tentacles are 3D printed onto the jellyfish shell and then bent and deformed through isothermal annealing, a process known as 4D printing. The underwater propeller is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a rotating joint. The underwater camera is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a snap-fit ​​mechanism. Specifically, the jellyfish tentacles are mounted on the side of the jellyfish shell; the underwater propeller is mounted on the bottom surface of the jellyfish shell; and the underwater camera is mounted on the top surface of the jellyfish shell. The jellyfish shell and tentacles are printed from PEEK material using the aforementioned 4D printing process. The underwater propeller is a combination of a waterproof motor and a propeller, with the waterproof motor connected to the propeller via wiring to drive its steering and movement. The underwater camera is a combination of an underwater observation system and a fixing mechanism. The underwater observation system allows the biomimetic jellyfish robot to perform exploration tasks in the marine environment, while the fixing mechanism secures the underwater camera to the jellyfish shell. From an morphological perspective, the jellyfish's tentacles are curved rectangles, which increase the contact area with the water surface, thus promoting swimming; the jellyfish's shell is semi-circular, which reduces the resistance of the biomimetic jellyfish robot underwater.

[0009] This invention also provides a 4D printing-based manufacturing method for a biomimetic jellyfish robot, comprising the following steps:

[0010] Based on the design of the biomimetic jellyfish robot provided in the drawings, models of the robot's outer shell and tentacles were created and then 3D printed. Finally, the outer shell, tentacles, underwater thrusters, and underwater camera were assembled. A complete biomimetic jellyfish robot consists of an outer shell, an underwater camera, an underwater thruster, and six tentacles. The jellyfish tentacles are fixed to the jellyfish shell using the 3D printing manufacturing method of this invention and then subjected to constant-temperature annealing in an electrically heated blast oven. The underwater thrusters are fixed to the jellyfish shell via a rotating joint, and the underwater camera is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a snap-fit ​​mechanism. These four parts ultimately form the overall frame of the biomimetic jellyfish robot.

[0011] Furthermore, the specific steps include the following:

[0012] Step 1: Based on the design of the biomimetic jellyfish robot given in the drawings, build models of the jellyfish shell and jellyfish tentacles of the biomimetic jellyfish robot;

[0013] Step 2: Use modeling software to create a printed model of the biomimetic jellyfish robot, and finally export the model in .gcode format;

[0014] Step 3: Select PEEK material as the printing material. Before the actual printing, dry the PEEK material. After drying, load the PEEK material into the 3D printer.

[0015] Step 4: Import the .gcode file from Step 2 into the 3D printer, and select the dried PEEK material from Step 3 to print on the substrate.

[0016] Step 5: After the model is printed, remove the printed PEEK sample from the substrate to obtain the jellyfish shell and jellyfish tentacles of the biomimetic jellyfish robot.

[0017] Step 6: Place the PEEK sample removed in Step 5 in an electric heating oven for constant temperature annealing, and then remove it to obtain the 4D printed jellyfish shell and jellyfish tentacles.

[0018] Step 7: Assemble the jellyfish shell, jellyfish tentacles, underwater thruster, and underwater camera to obtain the biomimetic jellyfish robot.

[0019] Furthermore, in step two, the required model is first designed using modeling software, saved as a .stl file, and imported into 3D printing slicing software. The relevant printing parameters of the model are set in the slicing software, and finally the model is exported as a .gcode file.

[0020] Furthermore, the printing parameters include at least: nozzle temperature, substrate temperature, nozzle printing speed, printing orientation, chamber temperature, top and bottom layer thickness, top and bottom fill density, internal fill density, wire width, wire thickness, cooling fan off, and printing attachment off.

[0021] Furthermore, in step three, the drying method is as follows: the PEEK consumables are placed in an electric heating oven and kept at a constant temperature of 110°C for 4 hours to remove moisture from the materials.

[0022] Furthermore, in step four, an appropriate amount of water-soluble solid adhesive is applied to the printing substrate before printing to ensure that the model adheres better to the substrate.

[0023] Furthermore, in step five, after the model is printed, the sample is removed from the substrate only after the temperature inside the printing chamber of the 3D printer has naturally dropped to room temperature.

[0024] Furthermore, in step six, the isothermal annealing process is as follows: the internal temperature of the electric heating oven is raised from room temperature to 180°C at a heating rate of 8°C / minute, and then maintained at 180°C for 240 minutes. After the heating process is completed, the sample is placed in the oven to cool slowly to room temperature, and then taken out.

[0025] Furthermore, in step six, the 4D-printed outer shell already possesses the basic framework of the biomimetic jellyfish robot. Based on this, an underwater camera is installed in the middle of the outer shell, and two underwater thrusters are equipped below it. The assembled biomimetic jellyfish robot can perform underwater exploration tasks and can operate continuously in environments with high water temperatures and harsh conditions. Specifically, the outer shell obtained in step six has an underwater camera capable of withstanding depths of 100 meters installed in its middle, and underwater thrusters are installed in the lower half of the reserved section in the middle of the outer shell to provide power.

[0026] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0027] 1. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is an aromatic semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer that is non-toxic, lightweight, has high mechanical strength, high temperature resistance, good impact and fatigue resistance, and excellent biocompatibility. After PEEK printing, it often requires annealing to improve its mechanical properties before use. This invention utilizes the principle that PEEK material deforms after isothermal annealing, significantly reducing printing time and material consumption, and replacing manual assembly, thereby reducing labor costs. This invention also reduces the specialization required for manufacturing and effectively simplifies the manufacturing process.

[0028] 2. The 4D printing rapid prototyping method proposed in this invention omits the printing process along the material stacking direction (hereinafter referred to as the z direction) in traditional 3D printing. At the same time, the 3D structure formed by "4D printing" has significantly better mechanical properties in the Z direction than PEEK material formed by traditional 3D printing.

[0029] Based on the above reasons, this invention can be widely applied in fields such as rapid prototyping manufacturing of underwater power equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0030] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a 3D printed model of the biomimetic jellyfish robot in this invention.

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a PEEK 3D printed sample produced by the printing method provided in this invention, which is the effect diagram after the completion and processing of the biomimetic jellyfish robot tentacles.

[0033] Figure 3This is a rendering of the biomimetic jellyfish robot created using "4D printing" according to the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the tentacles of the biomimetic jellyfish robot of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a front view of the underwater camera installed based on the present invention, namely the biomimetic jellyfish robot camera and its fixing mechanism.

[0036] Figure 6 This is an isometric side view of the biomimetic jellyfish robot camera and fixing mechanism of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a front view of the biomimetic jellyfish robot thruster of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 8 This is an isometric side view of the biomimetic jellyfish robot thruster of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a front view of the spherical link of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 10 This is an isometric side view of the rotary joint of the biomimetic jellyfish robot thruster of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 11 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the spherical link assembly of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the overall framework of the biomimetic jellyfish robot of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 13 A front view of a PEEK specimen designed using the printing method provided by this invention.

[0044] Figure 14 The top view of the PEEK sample designed using the printing method provided by this invention is a structural diagram of the tentacles of a biomimetic jellyfish robot.

[0045] Figure 15 A front view of a PEEK sample designed for the printing method provided by the present invention.

[0046] Figure 16 A top view of a PEEK sample designed for the printing method provided by the present invention.

[0047] Figure 17 This is a graph showing the relationship between time and temperature for constant-temperature annealing in an electrically heated blast oven.

[0048] Figure 18 A schematic diagram of a PEEK 3D printed sample after isothermal annealing.

[0049] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the comparison sample of PEEK 3D printed after isothermal annealing.

[0050] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the fitting curve results for PEEK 3D printing.

[0051] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram showing the symmetry comparison results of a single arm printed by PEEK 3D. Detailed Implementation

[0052] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in the present invention can be combined with each other. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0053] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention or its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0054] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0055] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0056] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is generally based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this invention. The directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0057] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "over," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation besides the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is inverted, a device described as "above" or "above" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0058] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, the above terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this invention.

[0059] Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is an aromatic semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer that is non-toxic, lightweight, has high mechanical strength, high temperature resistance, good impact and fatigue resistance, and excellent biocompatibility. Its good flowability in the molten state makes it widely used in 3D printing based on material extrusion. Due to its semi-crystalline properties and relatively high extrusion temperature, PEEK exhibits a low overall crystallinity level and significant internal residual stress accumulation after 3D printing. Therefore, isothermal annealing is generally used to improve its crystallinity and obtain PEEK parts with higher mechanical properties. During annealing, it was observed that PEEK parts undergo a certain degree of deformation. Based on this phenomenon, this invention designs a series of approximately 2D structures (each layer has approximately the same height in the third dimension), which are deformed into the pre-designed 3D structure through isothermal annealing. The changes over time can be interpreted as the fourth dimension. The 4D printing rapid prototyping method proposed in this invention omits the printing process along the material stacking direction (hereinafter referred to as the z direction) in traditional 3D printing. At the same time, the 3D structure formed by "4D printing" has significantly better mechanical properties in the Z direction than PEEK material formed by traditional 3D printing.

[0060] PEEK is an emerging high-performance material for 3D printing. This invention is a rapid prototyping technology for small-sized thin-walled PEEK parts. Due to the many excellent properties of PEEK itself, it can be used in relatively harsh working conditions. Therefore, the 3D thin-walled structure formed can be used as the base machine of lightweight electronic devices and combined with various sensors for environmental monitoring work under harsh working conditions.

[0061] This invention belongs to the field of additive manufacturing and is used for printing special engineering plastics. It is a type of rapid prototyping technology and can be applied to 3D printers with a certain substrate temperature, a high-temperature nozzle, and an insulated chamber. This invention utilizes a high-temperature nozzle and extrusion additive manufacturing technology to melt special engineering plastics and deposit them layer by layer onto a printing platform and the previous layer of cured material. When the material temperature is lower than the curing temperature, curing begins, and the layers are ultimately stacked to form the desired solid structure. PEEK material, as a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer, can have its crystallinity enhanced through isothermal annealing. Isothermal annealing also allows the designed PEEK structure to deform to a certain extent. Therefore, by designing a regular structure in a plane and deforming it through isothermal annealing, a regular 3D structure can be obtained. This has a better success rate and mechanical properties than 3D structures formed by direct additive manufacturing technology. The deformed 3D structure can be used in sensing instruments, combined with various sensors, and can operate in various environments.

[0062] To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides a 4D printing-based manufacturing method for a biomimetic jellyfish robot. This method is a 4D printing method for polyetheretherketone (PEEK) materials. By modifying PEEK samples of the same size to have different structures, the PEEK material is deformed during isothermal annealing, thereby obtaining high-performance PEEK parts that can be used in practical engineering.

[0063] This invention discloses a biomimetic jellyfish robot, comprising four parts: jellyfish tentacles, a jellyfish shell, an underwater propeller, and an underwater camera. The jellyfish tentacles are 3D printed onto the jellyfish shell and then bent and deformed through isothermal annealing, a process described in 4D printing. The underwater propeller is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a rotating joint. The underwater camera is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a snap-fit ​​mechanism. The jellyfish tentacles are located on the side of the jellyfish shell; the underwater propeller is mounted on the bottom surface of the jellyfish shell; and the underwater camera is mounted on the top surface of the jellyfish shell. The jellyfish shell and tentacles are printed from PEEK material using the aforementioned 4D printing process. The underwater propeller consists of a waterproof motor and a propeller, with the waterproof motor connected to the propeller via wiring to drive its steering and movement. The underwater camera consists of an underwater observation system and a fixing mechanism. The underwater observation system allows the biomimetic jellyfish robot to perform exploration tasks in the marine environment, while the fixing mechanism secures the underwater camera to the jellyfish shell. From an morphological perspective, the jellyfish's tentacles are curved rectangles, which increase the contact area with the water surface, thus promoting swimming; the jellyfish's shell is semi-circular, which reduces the resistance of the biomimetic jellyfish robot underwater.

[0064] according to Figure 1 The designed format uses 3D printing to print the entire frame of the biomimetic jellyfish robot using PEEK material, as described in items 1-6 below.

[0065] Implementation steps:

[0066] 1. Based on the design of the biomimetic jellyfish robot given in the drawings, establish the outer shell and tentacles model of the biomimetic jellyfish robot, then print them using 3D printing methods, and finally assemble the outer shell, tentacles, underwater thrusters, and underwater camera. A complete biomimetic jellyfish robot consists of an outer shell, an underwater camera, an underwater thruster, and six tentacles. The jellyfish tentacles are fixed to the jellyfish outer shell using the 3D printing manufacturing method of this invention and then subjected to constant temperature annealing in an electrically heated blast oven. The underwater thrusters are fixed to the jellyfish outer shell via a rotating joint, and the underwater camera is fixed to the jellyfish outer shell via a snap-fit ​​mechanism. These four parts ultimately form the overall frame of the biomimetic jellyfish robot.

[0067] 2. First, use modeling software to design the required model of the biomimetic jellyfish robot, save it as a .stl file and import it into 3D printing slicing software (common software for FDM extrusion 3D printing can be used). Set the relevant printing parameters of the model in the slicing software, and finally export the model as a .gcode file.

[0068] 3. PEEK material was selected as the printing material. Before the actual printing, the PEEK material was placed in an electric heating oven and kept at a constant temperature of 110℃ for 4 hours to remove moisture from the material and ensure the printing quality of the sample. After drying, the PEEK material was loaded into the 3D printer.

[0069] 4. Import the .gcode file from step 2 into the 3D printer, and use the dried PEEK material from step 2 to print on the substrate. Before printing, apply an appropriate amount of water-soluble solid adhesive to the printing substrate to help the model adhere better to the substrate.

[0070] 5. After the model is printed, allow the temperature inside the chamber to drop naturally to room temperature, and then remove the sample from the substrate.

[0071] 6. Finally, the PEEK sample was placed in an electric heating oven. The temperature inside the oven was increased from room temperature to 180°C at a rate of 8°C / minute. The temperature was then maintained at 180°C for 240 minutes. After the heating process was completed, the sample was placed in the oven to cool slowly to room temperature. Then it was taken out to obtain the outer shell of the biomimetic jellyfish robot.

[0072] The structure formed by 4D printing already possesses... Figure 12 The diagram shows the basic framework of the structure. An underwater camera is mounted in the middle of the outer shell, and two underwater thrusters are installed below it. Once assembled, the biomimetic jellyfish robot can perform underwater exploration tasks and operate continuously in environments with high water temperatures and harsh conditions.

[0073] This invention provides a comparative example, specifically a PEEK specimen of the same size, but with a different number of open edges. Figure 2 Half the number of edges is used to prove the test results of isothermal annealing of PEEK specimens with different structures under the same conditions.

[0074] Table 1 Main printing parameters of PEEK samples

[0075] Nozzle temperature / ℃ 400 Substrate temperature / °C 100 <![CDATA[Nozzle printing speed / mm·s -1 > 40 Print orientation / ° 90 Chamber temperature / ℃ 80 Number of top and bottom layers 1 Top and bottom fill density / % 100 Internal filler density / % 70 Cooling fan close Wire width / mm 0.2 Wire thickness / mm 0.2 Print attachment none

[0076] Example 1

[0077] A 4D printing method includes the following steps:

[0078] 1. First, use Solidworks 2020 software to... Figure 13-14 After modeling the structure shown, save it as a .stl file, then import it into Intamsuite 4.1.0 slicing software. Slice it according to the parameters in Table 1, and then save it as a .gcode file for export. Figure 13-14 The PEEK design specimen has a total length L of 95.0 mm, a width W of 5.0 mm, and a thickness D of 1.0 mm. There are 37 long slots with circular cross-sections, each with a diameter R of 0.3 mm, equidistantly opened on the upper surface of the specimen.

[0079] 2. Before printing, place the 1.75mm diameter PEEK K10 filament from Norsberry New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. into an electric heating oven and maintain a constant temperature of 110℃ for 4 hours to remove moisture from the material and ensure the printing quality of the sample. After drying, load the PEEK material into the Intamsys Pro410 printer.

[0080] 3. Import the .gcode file from step 1 into the Intamsys Pro410 printer. Before printing, apply an appropriate amount of water-soluble solid glue to the printing substrate to help the model adhere better to the substrate.

[0081] 4. After the model is printed, allow the temperature inside the chamber to drop naturally to room temperature, and then remove the sample from the substrate.

[0082] 5. Finally, place the removed PEEK sample in an electric heating oven. The oven temperature is increased from room temperature to 180°C at a rate of 8°C / minute, and then maintained at 180°C for 240 minutes. After the heating process is completed, place the printed part in the oven to cool slowly to room temperature, and then remove it.

[0083] Compare with Example 1 (modifying models of the same size into different shapes).

[0084] A 4D printing method includes the following steps:

[0085] 1. First, use Solidworks 2020 software to... Figure 15-16 The structure shown (model dimensions and) Figure 13-14 Same, but the number of open edges is Figure 13-14 After modeling half of the model, save it as a .stl file, then import it into Intamsuite 4.1.0 slicing software. Slice according to the parameters in Table 1, and then save it as a .gcode file for export. Figure 15-16The PEEK comparison sample has a total length L of 95.0 mm, a width W of 5.0 mm, and a thickness D of 1.0 mm. Eighteen long slots with circular cross-sections are equidistantly opened on the upper surface of the sample, with a diameter R of 0.3 mm.

[0086] 2. Before printing, place the 1.75mm diameter PEEK K10 filament from Norsberry New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. into an electric heating oven and maintain a constant temperature of 110℃ for 4 hours to remove moisture from the material and ensure the printing quality of the sample. After drying, load the PEEK material into the Intamsys Pro410 printer.

[0087] 3. Import the .gcode file from step 1 into the Intamsys Pro410 printer. Before printing, apply an appropriate amount of water-soluble solid glue to the printing substrate to help the model adhere better to the substrate.

[0088] 4. After the model is printed, allow the temperature inside the chamber to drop naturally to room temperature, and then remove the sample from the substrate.

[0089] 5. Finally, place the removed PEEK sample in an electric heating oven. The oven temperature is increased from room temperature to 180°C at a rate of 8°C / minute, and then maintained at 180°C for 240 minutes. After the heating process is completed, place the printed part in the oven to cool slowly to room temperature, and then remove it.

[0090] The PEEK samples of Example 1 and Comparative Example 1 are as follows: Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, the two different PEEK samples were plotted and then imported into Matlab software for fitting. The fitting results are as follows. Figure 20 As shown. Among them, Figure 13-14 The fitting curve of the designed PEEK sample is: y = 0.0207x 2 +0.0474x; Figure 15-16 The fitting curve result of the designed PEEK comparative experiment is: y = 0.0136x 2 +0.0335x. From Figure 20 As can be seen, the degree of deformation in the designed Example 1 differs from that in the comparative Example 1. Figure 21 exist Figure 20Based on this, the fitted curves of the four single arms were compared. The comparison results show that the symmetry at both ends of the PEEK specimen and the deformation of each single arm in the fourth dimension are mutually exclusive. When a single arm requires a larger deformation in the fourth dimension, the symmetry at both ends of the PEEK specimen decreases, and vice versa. Therefore, the PEEK 4D printing method proposed in this invention has significant research value. By designing specific printing structures, thin-walled 3D structures with complex curved surfaces can be obtained with less time and material cost. Therefore, this PEEK 4D printing method has promotional significance and application value.

[0091] The material used in this invention is 1.75mm diameter PEEK K10 material from Norsberry New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. Other PEEK materials suitable for fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing and 4D printing are also applicable to the method provided in this invention.

[0092] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A biomimetic jellyfish robot, characterized in that, It consists of four parts: jellyfish tentacles, jellyfish shell, underwater thruster, and underwater camera. The jellyfish tentacles are 3D printed onto the jellyfish shell and then bent and deformed through isothermal annealing, a process known as 4D printing. The underwater thruster is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a rotating joint. The underwater camera is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a snap-fit ​​mechanism. Specifically, the jellyfish tentacles are mounted on the side of the jellyfish shell; the underwater thruster is mounted on the bottom surface of the jellyfish shell; and the underwater camera is mounted on the top surface of the jellyfish shell. Both the jellyfish shell and the jellyfish tentacles are made of PEEK material. It is printed through the 4D printing process described above; the underwater propulsion unit is composed of a waterproof motor and a propeller, with the waterproof motor connected to the propeller via wiring to drive its steering and movement; the underwater camera is composed of an underwater observation system and a fixing mechanism, with the underwater observation system used to enable the biomimetic jellyfish robot to complete exploration tasks in the marine environment, and the fixing mechanism used to fix the underwater camera to the jellyfish shell; from the shape analysis, the jellyfish tentacles are curved rectangles, which can increase the contact area with the water surface, thereby promoting swimming; the jellyfish shell is semi-circular, which can reduce the resistance of the biomimetic jellyfish robot underwater.

2. A 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The process includes the following steps: Based on the design of the biomimetic jellyfish robot provided in the drawings, a model of the jellyfish shell and tentacles is created. Then, 3D printing is used to create the model. Finally, the jellyfish shell, tentacles, underwater thruster, and underwater camera are assembled. A complete biomimetic jellyfish robot consists of a jellyfish shell, an underwater camera, an underwater thruster, and six tentacles. The tentacles are fixed to the jellyfish shell using 3D printing and then subjected to constant-temperature annealing in an electric heating oven. The underwater thruster is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a rotating joint, and the underwater camera is fixed to the jellyfish shell via a snap-fit ​​mechanism. These four parts ultimately form the overall frame of the biomimetic jellyfish robot.

3. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 2, characterized in that, Specifically, the steps include the following: Step 1: Based on the design of the biomimetic jellyfish robot given in the drawings, build models of the jellyfish shell and jellyfish tentacles of the biomimetic jellyfish robot; Step 2: Use modeling software to create a printed model of the biomimetic jellyfish robot, and finally export the model in .gcode format; Step 3: Select PEEK material as the printing material. Before the actual printing, dry the PEEK material. After drying, load the PEEK material into the 3D printer. Step 4: Import the .gcode file from Step 2 into the 3D printer, and select the dried PEEK material from Step 3 to print on the substrate. Step 5: After the model is printed, remove the printed PEEK sample from the substrate to obtain the jellyfish shell and jellyfish tentacles of the biomimetic jellyfish robot. Step 6: Place the PEEK sample removed in Step 5 in an electric heating oven for constant temperature annealing, and then remove it to obtain the 4D printed jellyfish shell and jellyfish tentacles. Step 7: Assemble the jellyfish shell, jellyfish tentacles, underwater thruster, and underwater camera to obtain the biomimetic jellyfish robot.

4. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step two, the required model is first designed using modeling software, saved as a .stl file, and imported into 3D printing slicing software. The relevant printing parameters of the model are set in the slicing software, and finally the model is exported as a .gcode file.

5. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 4, characterized in that, The printing parameters include at least: nozzle temperature, substrate temperature, nozzle printing speed, printing orientation, chamber temperature, top and bottom layer thickness, top and bottom fill density, internal fill density, wire width, wire thickness, cooling fan off, and printing attachment off.

6. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step three, the drying method is as follows: the PEEK consumables are placed in an electric heating oven and kept at a constant temperature of 110°C for 4 hours to remove moisture from the materials.

7. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step four, before printing, an appropriate amount of water-soluble solid adhesive is applied to the printing substrate to make the model adhere better to the substrate.

8. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step five, after the model is printed, the sample is removed from the substrate after the temperature inside the printing chamber of the 3D printer has naturally dropped to room temperature.

9. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step six, the isothermal annealing process is as follows: the internal temperature of the electric heating oven is raised from room temperature to 180°C at a rate of 8°C / minute, and then maintained at 180°C for 240 minutes. After the heating process is completed, the sample is placed in the oven to cool slowly to room temperature, and then taken out.

10. The 4D printing-based manufacturing method for the biomimetic jellyfish robot according to claim 3, characterized in that, In step six, the outer shell, formed by 4D printing, already has the basic framework of the biomimetic jellyfish robot. On this basis, an underwater camera is installed in the middle of the outer shell, and two underwater thrusters are equipped below it. After assembly, the biomimetic jellyfish robot can perform underwater exploration tasks and can work continuously in environments with high water temperatures and harsh working conditions.

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