  For centuries, human civilizations devised metal forming techniques to make
tools and items; yet, customized metal forming remains costly and intricate.
Laser-forming origami} (lasergami) is a metal forming process where a laser
beam cuts and folds a planar metal sheet to form a three-dimensional (3D)
shape. Designing foldable structures formable by lasers, however, has long been
a trial-and-error practice that requires significant mental effort and hinders
the possibility of creating practical structures. This work demonstrates for
the first time that lasergami can form a freeform set of metallic structures
previously believed to have been impossible to be laser-formed. This
technological breakthrough is enabled by new computational origami methods that
imitate flower blooming and optimize laser folding instructions. Combined with
new ideas that address laser line of sight and minimize fabrication energy, we
report a low-cost manufacturing framework that can be readily adopted by
hobbyists and professionals alike.
