Bachelor Assignment

This thesis explores how flexible and rigid plastics can be combined in one 3D-printed part to create motion without using traditional hinges. By printing soft TPU together with rigid PLA or PETG on a consumer-grade Prusa XL printer, vertical "bending" hinges were developed that move smoothly through elastic deformation. The research found that when the two materials are mechanically interlocked, their bond becomes strong enough to withstand repeated bending without separating. The final prototypes demonstrated stable, repeatable motion and proved that complex, joint-free mechanisms can be made on affordable 3D printers. This opens the door for low-cost robots and precision devices that are printed as single, assembly-free parts.