Non-Conventional Wing Structure Design with Lattice Infilled through Design for Additive Manufacturing

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Lightweight structures with high stiffness-to-weight ratios are crucial for aerospace weight reduction.
• Non-conventional structures, particularly lattice structures, are increasingly explored for aerospace applications.
• Additive manufacturing enables the creation of complex lattice designs for improved mechanical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the practicality of non-conventional lattice-infilled wing structures as replacements for conventional spar-rib designs.
• To determine the optimal lattice-infilled wing structure for aerospace applications.
• To analyze the influence of lattice unit cell type and arrangement on stress distribution.

Main Methods:

• Finite element analysis (FEA) was employed to assess the performance of lattice-infilled wing structures.
• An automated iterative method, utilizing nTop and ANSYS Workbench, was used to obtain optimal lattice designs.
• Five distinct types of optimized lattice-infilled structures were compared.

Main Results:

• The Kelvin lattice structure demonstrated the best performance among the evaluated designs.
• The Kelvin lattice structure resulted in minimal wing-tip deflection, reduced weight, and lower stress levels.
• A clear dependency of stress distribution on lattice unit cell type and arrangement was established.

Conclusions:

• Lattice-infilled structures present an innovative and viable alternative for lightweight aerospace wing design.
• The Kelvin lattice structure is identified as a highly suitable option for current aerospace applications.
• Optimized lattice designs significantly enhance mechanical properties and reduce structural weight.