4D　printing,　which　is　the　combination　of　3D　printing　technology　and　printable　smart　materials,　provides　the　potential　of　automating　actuation　devices.　In　this　paper,　we　have　used　a　modified-fused　deposition　modelling　3D　printing　technology　to　fabricate　a　double-layer　laminate　smart　material,　which　can　be　activated　by　temperature　directly　or　by　an　electric　circuit　indirectly.　A　double-layer　laminate　mathematical　model　has　been　developed　to　describe　the　bending　behaviour　caused　by　the　mismatch　strain　between　the　surface　layer　and　the　basal　layer.　The　electrocaloric　deformation　testings　were　performed　to　find　the　different　bending　rules　of　this　low-cost　printed　active　composite　in　different　physical　states.　The　considerable　maximal　deformation　values　and　deformation　force　(7　mm　and　100　mN　for　these　carbon　fibre　(CF)/polylactic　acid　specimens,　and　10　mm　and　200　mN　for　these　CF/polyether-ether-ketone　specimens　in　the　paper)　provide　this　double-layer　smart　material　and　4D　printing　method　the　prospective　to　be　applied　in　biomimetic　sensors,　actuators,　transducers,　and　artificial　muscles.　©　2017　Informa　UK　Limited,　trading　as　Taylor　&　Francis　Group.