Our Group
Materials as Machines Lab focuses on research and development related to materials science and engineering, particularly on designing and creating materials that exhibit machine-like or dynamic properties. We explore integrating materials with mechanical, electrical, or other functional components to develop advanced materials systems.
The PI
Dr. Irina Garces (She/her/hers) specializes in composite-smart materials such as bio, multifunctional nanomaterials, and additive manufacturing of shape memory composites, nanocomposites, and multi-materials parts. Her work included developing, modelling, and manufacturing additive-manufactured shape memory polymers for field applications. She designed a manufacturing method, developed viscoelastic models to predict the behaviour of complex polymers, and produced self-sensing actuators. She has designed and built various polymer processing equipment and mechatronic systems, such as spinning, winding and extrusion equipment. She has also contributed to the development of additive manufacturing of biomedical and robotics’ parts. She has developed processing and manufacturing techniques for diverse materials such as commercial polymers, cellulose-based materials, and carbon fibres. Some of her most recent work includes developing new additive manufacturing systems for processing regenerated cellulose to produce bio-based parts.
Our Research
Melt Electrowriting
Melt Electrowriting (MEW) is a high-resolution additive manufacturing technique that can be used to print fibres a few microns in diameter. By using a high voltage between the nozzle and print bed, the filament is stretched and deposited precisely in fibrils with micron-scale diameters. We are working to improve the accuracy and reliability of MEW printers and investigating the use of MEW for printing tissue scaffolds and smart materials. Our end goal is to use MEW to 3D print an artificial muscle.
Tailorable Stiffness Prosthetics
The Materials as Machines Lab is working on advanced additive manufacturing techniques to better tailor prosthetics to the needs of the user. Current prosthetic sockets have a uniform stiffness which does not mimic biological tissue well and as such, can reduce user comfort. Our goal is to leverage voxelization and multi-material additive manufacturing technologies to adjust local socket stiffness and better match the varying stiffness regions of the residual limb.
3D Printed Sensors
Our lab is investigating 3D-printable pressure sensors for use in prosthetics. Our goal is to produce a sensor that can be fully printed and embedded within a simultaneously printed prosthetic socket. By incorporating sensors into prosthetic sockets, we aim to improve user comfort and refine prosthetic designs by identifying areas of high pressure within the socket that arise due to the unique gait of individual users. Current prosthetic analysis sensors are prohibitively expensive and we aim to make this technology cheaper and more accessible. Our work is focused on modelling and characterizing 3d printed smart materials to map voltage readings from the sensor to a corresponding pressure value.
Additively Manufactured Dentures
At the Materials as Machines Lab, we’re using multi-material additive manufacturing to improve denture manufacturing. Currently, dentures are made in a multi-step process in which tooth and gum components are manufactured separately then bonded together with adhesive. Our goal is to develop a multi-material additive manufacturing technique to produce dentures in a single-step process. This innovative single-step process would reduce manufacturing time, labour costs, and material waste. Additionally, our team is developing new composite materials and optimizing additive manufacturing parameters to improve the strength of 3D printed dentures.