foldete

Foldete is a term used in geometry and origami-inspired design to describe a class of folding processes in which a flat sheet is transformed into a three‑dimensional object through a planned sequence of creases. The word is a coined neologism that appears in design and education literature since the early 2010s and is not tied to a single formal standard.

Typically foldete designs subdivide the sheet into a network of rigid or flexible facets connected by hinges. The intended final form emerges as the crease pattern is activated, either by manual manipulation or by automated actuation such as thermal, pneumatic, or mechanical systems. Well-known foldete patterns borrow from traditional origami and rigid origami concepts, including Miura-ori and box-pleat layouts.

Applications of foldete concepts span deployable structures, space engineering, portable architecture, packaging, soft robotics, and educational tools. In practice, designers select materials with appropriate bending stiffness and fatigue resistance to balance compact stowage with structural strength. The geometry of the crease network governs the range of achievable shapes, the rate of deployment, and the durability under repeated folding.

Limitations include fabrication tolerances, material wear, and the complexity of designing crease patterns that avoid overlapping or self-intersection in the target form. Foldete remains an area of active exploration in engineering and design, often evaluated through simulations, prototype testing, and comparisons with established origami and tensegrity methods. See also origami, deployable structures, rigid origami.