Abstract
Selective laser melting (SLM)-produced variable-density (VD) lattice structures are deemed a promising solution to lightweight design. However, due to the large number of cells in the structures, designing VD structures is still time-consuming and exhibits poor adaptability to external load. Therefore, in order to decrease the number of design variables in VD design, this paper proposed a modelling approach for VD lattice structures manufactured using SLM. The stress values provided by finite element analysis (FEA) were grouped according to k-means clustering, where the sizes of lattice cells in the same group remain identical. Then the relative densities of cells’ in all groups are obtained and the VD model is generated. By taking the design of a VD lattice beam as an example, the feasibility of the proposed method was verified by conducting FEA and three-point bending tests on SLM-produced Ti6Al4V samples, as well as using morphological observation measures. The results show that the number of design variables for reconstructing the beam was decreased from 125 to 8, and the VD samples reached the designed carrying capacity and also presented superior lightweight performance compared with their isovolumetric homogenous counterparts.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.