Influence of Infill Pattern on Ballistic Resistance Capabilities of 3D-Printed Polymeric Structures

Recent technological advances have expanded the use of 3D-printed polymer components across industries, including a growing interest in military applications. The effective defensive use of such materials depends on a thorough understanding of polymer properties, printing techniques, structural design, and influencing parameters. This paper analyzes the ballistic resistance of 3D-printed polymer structures against 9 × 19 mm projectiles. Cuboid targets with different infill patterns-cubic, grid, honeycomb, and gyroid-were fabricated and tested experimentally using live ammunition. Post-impact, CT scans were used to non-destructively measure projectile penetration depths. The honeycomb infill demonstrated superior bullet-stopping performance. Additionally, mechanical properties were experimentally determined and applied in FEM simulations, confirming the ability of commercial software to predict projectile-target interaction in complex geometries. A simplified analytical model also produced satisfactory agreement with experimental observations. The results contribute to a better understanding of impact behavior in 3D-printed polymer structures, supporting their potential application in defense systems.