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Compression Behaviour of Bio-Inspired Honeycomb Reinforced Starfish Shape Structures Using 3D Printing Technology
S A S A Saufi1, M Y M Zuhri1,2, M Lalegani Dezaki3,4
1Advanced Engineering Materials and Composites Research Centre, Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Malaysia.
Polymers
|December 28, 2021
Summary
Smaller bio-inspired honeycomb structures with thinner walls show 69% crush efficiency. Increasing cell size and wall thickness enhances compressive strength and energy absorption (EA) in 3D-printed designs.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Bio-inspired Design
Background:
- Bio-inspired structures like honeycombs are known for energy absorption and strength.
- Cell size and wall thickness significantly influence structural performance under load.
- Secondary structures can further enhance compressive strength and energy absorption capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the compression strength and energy absorption (EA) of 3D-printed bio-inspired honeycomb structures.
- To evaluate the effect of varying cell sizes (20 and 30 mm) and wall thicknesses (1.5 to 2.5 mm) on structural performance.
- To analyze the deformation and failure mechanisms under compression loading.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of bio-inspired honeycomb structures with starfish reinforcement using fused deposition modeling (FDM) with polylactic acid (PLA).
- Experimental testing of structures under compression loading to determine strength and EA.
- Systematic variation of cell size and wall thickness parameters.
Main Results:
- Structures with smaller cell sizes and thinner walls achieved a crush efficiency of 69%.
- For a 20 mm cell size, increasing wall thickness led to higher EA and maximum peak load.
- Overall, compression strength and EA increased with larger cell sizes and thicker walls.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates the impact of geometric parameters on the mechanical performance of 3D-printed bio-inspired structures.
- Optimizing cell size and wall thickness is crucial for enhancing energy absorption and compressive strength.
- Starfish-reinforced honeycombs offer a promising design for improved structural efficiency.
