Mechanical Interlocking for Connecting Electrical Wires to Flexible, FDM, 3D-Printed Conductors

Abstract

This paper introduces mechanical interlocking for fabrication of electrical contacts in flexible 3D-prints by embed-ding perforated copper tape during printing. Tensile tests show the electrical and mechanical robustness of the contacts. The con-tact resistance varies with tensile load, however only accounts for a few percent of the sample resistance. This type of contact shows potential for application in flexible and stretchable, conductive objects, e.g. in soft robotics and biomedical applications.