Structure, Design, and Mechanics of a Pop-Up Origami with Cuts

Quick and easy methods for developing a stable three-dimensional (3D) structure from a planar sheet form a rapidly expanding area of research. While origami and kirigami provide a variety of concepts and designs for engineering, a physical understanding of the underlying mechanics is still elusive. The authors introduce a class of designs for 2D-to-3D shape-shifting materials: pop-up origami extended with chiral cuts. Experiments and simulations elucidate the basic actuation mechanism, and reveal superior load-bearing ability, thanks to a self-locking mechanism. This proof of concept for the ``ori-kirigami'' design will promote its use in industrial, artistic, and architectural systems.