Perched on a workbench and looking like something out of a sci-fi prop room is a single-part, 3D-printed soft robotic tentacle that’s set to fast-track the world of robotics. Designed by the YouTuber It’s On My Mind, this pneumatically actuated limb was printed as a single, monolithic piece on a Formlabs Form 4 printer using their latest Silicone 40A resin. It’s a brilliant demonstration of how we’re finally simplifying the dark arts of creating complex, flexible robotic kit.
The real magic lies in the marriage of material and machine. Formlabs’ Silicone 40A isn’t just another ‘silicone-like’ photopolymer; it’s the real deal—pure silicone. This is a bit of a holy grail for additive manufacturing, which has historically relied on materials that only pretend to be rubbery. This genuine silicone boasts a 230% elongation at break and a tear strength of 12 kN/m, making it tough enough for the real world while remaining incredibly supple. Because the Form 4 can handle intricate internal geometries—such as the tiny air channels needed to steer the tentacle—the whole process sidesteps the usual faff of making moulds and assembling dozens of fiddly parts. We’re talking about turning a multi-week headache into a few hours of printing.
Why is this important?
The ability to 3D print functional, single-part soft robots from pure silicone is a massive shot in the arm for research and development. Whether it’s developing soft grippers for delicate factory work, bespoke prosthetics, or tiny tools for keyhole surgery, the prototyping phase just got significantly nippier and cheaper. By binning the need for casting and manual assembly, engineers can iterate on a design before lunch and have a new version by tea time. This breakthrough lowers the barrier to entry for creating sophisticated, nature-inspired robots that can safely work alongside humans. The squishy robotic future? It’s closer than you think.
