Multi-Mechanical Regulation of 3D Printed Triply Periodic Hyperbolic Surfaces via Fourier Synthesis-Based Free...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Triply periodic hyperbolic surfaces (TPHSs) offer superior lightweight and mechanical properties compared to other lattice structures.
• Current design methods for TPHSs are limited, restricting structural diversity and hindering engineering applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel hierarchical design method for TPHSs inspired by crystallographic Fourier synthesis.
• To overcome limitations in current design strategies and expand the structural diversity and tunability of TPHSs.

Main Methods:

• Developed a hierarchical design approach based on crystallographic Fourier synthesis.
• Utilized additive manufacturing to fabricate various TPHS structures, including primitive, gyroid, and diamond-like surfaces.
• Optimized 3D stress fields by precisely manipulating fine structural features.

Main Results:

• Enabled the construction of arbitrary complex TPHS structures with tunable mechanical properties.
• Successfully additively manufactured diverse TPHS types and their variants.
• Significantly enhanced stiffness and strength through optimized stress field manipulation.
• Facilitated the design of unbalanced TPHSs for novel assembly methods like mortise-tenon joints.

Conclusions:

• The proposed hierarchical design method substantially broadens the design space for TPHS-based structures.
• This approach paves the way for widespread application of advanced TPHS in engineering contexts.
• The method allows for precise control over structural features and mechanical performance.