Selective Laser Sintered food: A unit cell approach to design mechanical properties

Abstract

Selective Laser Sintering is a 3D printing technique that is suitable for tailoring food structures on both macroscopic and microscopic length scales. A unit cell approach was employed to design properties using a spatial distribution of printing parameters within a single product. Support structures were printed and a successive checkerboard strategy was used to effectively reduce warpage effects that occur because of the product size. Cyclic uniaxial compression tests were performed to mechanically characterize the products. Damage evolution was controlled by the process parameters and cracks propagated through the interface between separate unit cells, which was weakened through the printing strategy. Printing with higher area energy density decreased the ductility and increased the stiffness of the geometry. • A unit cell approach was utilized for Selective Laser Sintering of food. • Unit cells consisting of two phases were printed with varying laser parameters. • Existing strategies for reducing warpage were adopted for food printing. • Stiffness and fracture were tailored by controlling the process parameters.