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Trellises, commonly used in many 3D printing applications as a fill pattern, are the subject of a recent study on optimal isotropic stiffness.
Published by a team of scientists from ETH Zurich, Switzerland, this paper, published for the first time online in September 2018, discusses the potential impact of extremely rigid networks, not just for the sake of health. aerospace industry, but also for "heat exchange, thermal insulation, acoustics and biomedical engineering."
In particular, the research establishes a new class of metamaterials called "plate networks" that suggest a rigidity "up to three times that of the stiffest lattices of equal mass". According to Professor Dirk Mohr, specialist in computer modeling. ETH Zurich, these new networks will be "the design choice" when the 3D printing industry embarks on mass production.
A farm or a trellis? What is the difference?
Often associated, the forms "lattice" and "lattice" are often synonymous. Citing some of the world's most iconic landmarks, Professor Mohr explains: "The farm principle is very old. it has long been used for half-timbered houses, steel bridges and steel towers, such as the Eiffel Tower. We can see through the lattices, so they are often perceived as ideal light structures. "
Where trusses can be considered interconnected beams or spacers, the plates are more like clusters of walls. Through computer modeling, Professor Mohr's team is able to create rival network structures using these plates. The difference can be noted in the figure below.
Mass production ready
Due to their complexity, 3D printing is the only way to manufacture these plate networks. For proof of concept, computer models of these plate networks were manufactured by the ETH Zurich team at the microscopic level.
Using a Nanoscribe Photonic Professional GT system, 2 x 2 x 2 μm cubes were printed in 3D. These were then tested in compression, leading to an elastic limit of up to a few percent of the theoretical limits for isotropic porous solids. It's just a matter of cost.
"If these types of networks were to be additively manufactured from stainless steel, they would cost as much per gram as money," says Professor Mohr. "But the breakthrough will come when additive manufacturing technologies are ready for mass production. Lightweight construction, whose current cost limits its practical use to aeronautical construction and space applications, could also be used for a wide range of applications in which weight plays a role. "
The complete results of this study, "3D Network Platforms: An Emerging Class of Low-density Metamaterials with Optimal Isotropic Rigidity", are published online in Advanced Materials newspaper. It is co-written by Thomas Tancogne – Dejean, Marianna Diamantopoulou, Maysam B. Gorji, Colin Bonatti and Dirk Mohr.
Nominate the research team of the year at the 2019 Industry Awards 3D Printing Industry Awards.
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Model for calculating plate networks. ETH Zurich Life Image
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