Our Technology
Foldstar’s leadership in folded cores has led to pioneering development of the new science of industrial origami through all phases of production.
· Our proprietary software provides unmatched design capabilities and exact modeling of the folding process.
· This conceptual framework for folding tessellation systems has been implemented in several patented batch and continuous machine designs.
· These machines have been fabricated and tested successfully in our lab for scalability and on a variety of materials.
· The broad base of folding technology extends in many other directions, including deployable structures, compound curvature panels, materials research, and design and testing for many applications.
Folding as Forming Process
Folding has unique advantages as a forming process:
· It doesn’t thin or stretch the material regardless of depth of pattern.
· With no in-plane deformation, folding applies broadly to many materials and with little cost overhead.
· Foldstar advanced algorithmic design and fabrication technology produces structurally advanced cores with the efficiency of folding.
Example: Kraft paper cores-
· Shipping boxes with new folded cellular cores are both lighter than multi-walled corrugated cardboard and show improved energy absorption over honeycomb materials
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Mathematical Algorithms and Technical Software
Foldstar has developed a broad set of algorithms and software to design and model folding systems. Here is how:
· For a folding process, measurements along the surface do not change and the pleats at each vertex must have a total angle of 360o.
· Our software designs and edits these complex structures directly in 3D for easy cell-structure control.
· The software models the folding process and designs the folding tessellations.
· It also does singly and doubly curved surfaces and can be linked to FEA for optimization.
· It outputs the design information for the tooling in our manufacturing process.
Manufacture and Machine Design
Our Process Advantage: We have tested and developed many methods for fabricating folded cores. Here is our advantage:
· The material flows through the process without any in-plane deformation or stretching.
· The material arranges into the cellular architecture determined by the algorithms.
· The product ends up in an engineered, multifaceted folded geometry.
Our Design Advantages: We can customize the tooling parameters through our design software:
· Computer controlled batch and continuous lab-scale machines provide scalable methods for commercial production.
· We can customize tooling parameters for products such as papers, felts, thermoplastics, thermosets, metals and others.
· For materials allowing slight strain, we have developed hybrid production methods. We can blend traditional forming methods with our proprietary folding technology.
· We have demonstrated advanced folding processes for a wide range of patterns and materials. These yield many cost effective, new industrial origami products.
We are ready to engage
We are interested in discussing projects and partnerships and with engineering, architectural, manufacturing and technology companies. In addition, we are open to discussions with qualified investors, including venture capital and private equity groups.