Designing Deployable Folded Plate Structures

由刚性平面元件构成的可折叠结构结合了高面积转动惯量和可展开性的优点。这些特点使其成为各个技术领域预定的设计原则。作为研究项目的一部分，已经制定了具体的设计和开发过程，并通过小规模的概念研究进行了验证。此外，还开发了一种面向应用的分类方法，该方法适合于对折叠解进行结构化和系统化的选择。此外，对现有方法进行了评估和测试；识别缺失的方法并生成工具/方法。到目前为止，还没有工业质量的大型原型和详细设计是用所描述的方法/工具开发的。然而，这是必要的，逻辑上是实现以下目标的下一步：验证和改进目前开发的结果2。进一步发展和验证后阶段的项目科学界的反馈是积极的，项目的产出被认为是在技术和经济上可持续使用可展开折叠结构的道路上迈出的重要一步。与上述目标一起，可以创建一个能够用于工业用途的一般框架。然而，应用这些方法和工具是很重要的，这样项目的进一步目标是：使科学、工业和公众都能了解折叠的原理。实现的可折叠结构在建筑和机械工程领域都很少见，因此没有在潜在客户、规划人员和用户的意识中扎根。在这里，原型是一个足够的媒介。4)通过原型展示了该替代方案原理的优点。本研究项目的主要目标是在架构和工程中实现可展开折叠的有目的应用。通过达到这些目标，建立了对可展开折叠的跨学科理解。此外，对于打算将折叠原理应用于可展开结构的建筑师和工程师，提出了适当的行动方针和必要方法的概述。因此，为有目的的自支撑折叠的技术应用奠定了基础，例如，作为宽跨度，可展开的承重结构。由于工业质量的大型原型的规划和实现需要建筑（重点是结构工程）、运动学、机构综合、过程和方法开发方面的专业知识，因此三位申请人之间的跨学科合作代表了一个理想的项目团队。

Foldable structures made of stiff, plane elements combine the advantages of high area moments of inertia and deployability. These characteristics make them a predestined design principle for various technical fields. As part of the research project, a specific design and development process has already been developed and validated by small-scale concept studies. Furthermore, an application-oriented classification was developed, which is suitable for a structured and methodical selection of folding solutions. Additionally, existing methods were evaluated and tested; missing methods were identified and tools/methods were generated.So far no large-scale prototype in industrial quality and detailed design has been developed with the described methods/tools. However, this is necessary and logically the next step to achieve the following goals: 1. validation and improvement of the results developed so far2. further development and validation of the later project phasesThe feedback of the scientific community was positive and the output of the project has been recognized as an important step on the way to the technically and economically sustainable use of deployable folding structures. Together with the goals mentioned above, a general framework which enables industrial use can be created. Nevertheless, it is important that these methods and tools are going to be applied, so that further goals of the project are:3. To make the principle of folding accessible to science and industry as well as to the general public. Realized deployable folding structures are rare in both, the construction and mechanical engineering sectors, and therefore not anchored in the consciousness of potential clients, planners and users. Here a prototype is an adequate medium. 4) Demonstration of the advantages of this alternative solution principle by means of a prototype.The main goal of this research project is to enable a purposeful application of deployable foldings in architecture and engineering. By reaching these aims an interdisciplinary understanding of deployable folding is established. Further a suitable course of action and an overview of necessary methods are proposed to architects and engineers who intend to apply the principle of folding to deployable structures. Thereby foundations for the purposeful technical application of self-supporting foldings are laid, e.g. as wide-spanning, deployable load-bearing structures.Since the planning and realization of a large-scale prototype in industrial quality requires expertise in architecture (with focus on structural engineering), kinematics, mechanism synthesis, process and methods development the continuation of this interdisciplinary cooperation between the three applicants represent an ideal project team.