Compressive Behaviour of Lattice Structures Manufactured by Polyjet Technologies

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) offers cost and time efficiencies for complex geometries.
• Lattice structures are vital for optimizing part performance and material usage.
• Poly Jet AM technology enables intricate designs but requires structural validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the optimal lattice cell design for maximum compressive strength.
• To compare the performance of six different lattice cell types manufactured via Poly Jet AM.
• To establish a methodology for evaluating lattice structure strength in AM.

Main Methods:

• Manufacturing six distinct lattice cell types using Poly Jet AM technology, with six replicates each.
• Conducting compression tests on all samples using an electromechanical testing machine.
• Utilizing finite element analysis (FEA) to identify stress concentrations and predict maximal compressive strength.

Main Results:

• Quantified maximal compressive strength for each lattice type, normalized by mass (N/g) and critical section (MPa).
• Identified specific lattice cell designs exhibiting significantly higher compressive strength.
• FEA analysis pinpointed areas of maximum stress, correlating with experimental failure points.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully identified the strongest lattice cell structure for Poly Jet AM based on compressive strength.
• Results provide valuable data for engineers selecting lattice designs for demanding applications.
• This research contributes to the advancement of optimized part design in additive manufacturing.