3D Printing of Flexible Mechanical Metamaterials: Synergistic Design of Process and Geometric Parameters

Mechanical metamaterials with ultralight and ultrastrong mechanical properties are extensively employed in various industrial sectors, with three-periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures gaining significant research attention due to their symmetry, equation-driven characteristics, and exceptional mechanical properties. Compared to traditional lattice structures, TPMS structures exhibit superior mechanical performance. The mechanical properties of TPMS structures depend on the base material, structural porosity (volume fraction), and wall thickness. Hard rigid lattice structures such as Gyroid, diamond, and primitive exhibit outstanding performance in terms of elastic modulus, energy absorption, heat dissipation, and heat transfer. Flexible TPMS lattice structures, on the other hand, offer higher elasticity and recoverable large deformations, drawing attention for use in applications such as seat cushions and helmet impact-absorbing layers. Conventional fabrication methods often fail to guarantee the quality of TPMS structure samples, and additive manufacturing technology provides a new avenue. Selective laser sintering (SLS) has successfully been used to process various materials. However, due to the layer-by-layer manufacturing process, it cannot eliminate the anisotropy caused by interlayer bonding, which impacts the mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts. This paper introduces a process data-driven optimization design approach for TPMS structure geometry by adjusting volume fraction gradients to overcome the elastic anisotropy of 3D-printed isotropic lattice structures. Experimental validation and analysis are conducted using TPMS structures fabricated using TPU material via SLS. Furthermore, the advantages of volume fraction gradient-designed TPMS structures in functions such as energy absorption and heat dissipation are explored.

Study on Performance Simulation of Vascular-like Flow Channel Model Based on TPMS Structure

In medical validation experiments, such as drug testing and clinical trials, 3D bioprinted biomimetic tissues, especially those containing blood vessels, can be used to replace animal models. The difficulty in the viability of printed biomimetic tissues, in general, lies in the provision of adequate oxygen and nutrients to the internal regions. This is to ensure normal cellular metabolic activity. The construction of a flow channel network in the tissue is an effective way to address this challenge by both allowing nutrients to diffuse and providing sufficient nutrients for internal cell growth and by removing metabolic waste in a timely manner. In this paper, a three-dimensional TPMS vascular flow channel network model was developed and simulated to analyse the effect of perfusion pressure on blood flow rate and vascular-like flow channel wall pressure when the perfusion pressure varies. Based on the simulation results, the in vitro perfusion culture parameters were optimised to improve the structure of the porous structure model of the vascular-like flow channel, avoiding perfusion failure due to unreasonable perfusion pressure settings or necrosis of cells without sufficient nutrients due to the lack of fluid passing through some of the channels, and the research work promotes the development of tissue engineering in vitro culture.

Computational Design and Characterisation of Gyroid Structures with Different Gradient Functions for Porosity Adjustment

Triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures have a very good lightweight potential, due to their surface-to-volume ratio, and thus are contents of various applications and research areas, such as tissue engineering, crash structures, or heat exchangers. While TPMS structures with a uniform porosity or a linear gradient have been considered in the literature, this paper focuses on the investigation of the mechanical properties of gyroid structures with non-linear porosity gradients. For the realisation of the different porosity gradients, an algorithm is introduced that allows the porosity to be adjusted by definable functions. A parametric study is performed on the resulting gyroid structures by performing mechanical simulations in the linear deformation regime. The transformation into dimensionless parameters enables material-independent statements, which is possible due to linearity. Thus, the effective elastic behaviour depends only on the structure geometry. As a result, by introducing non-linear gradient functions and varying the density of the structure over the entire volume, specific strengths can be generated in certain areas of interest. A computational design of porosity enables an accelerated application-specific structure development in the field of engineering.

Finite Element Analysis of Orthopedic Hip Implant with Functionally Graded Bioinspired Lattice Structures

The topology optimization (TO) process has the objective to structurally optimize products in various industries, such as in biomechanical engineering. Additive manufacturing facilitates this procedure and enables the utility of advanced structures in order to achieve the optimal product design. Currently, orthopedic implants are fabricated from metal or metal alloys with totally solid structure to withstand the applied loads; nevertheless, such a practice reduces the compatibility with human tissues and increases the manufacturing cost as more feedstock material is needed. This article investigates the possibility of applying bioinspired lattice structures (cellular materials) in order to topologically optimize an orthopedic hip implant, made of Inconel 718 superalloy. Lattice structures enable topology optimization of an object by reducing its weight and increasing its porosity without compromising its mechanical behavior. Specifically, three different bioinspired advanced lattice structures were investigated through finite element analysis (FEA) under in vivo loading. Furthermore, the regions with lattice structure were optimized through functional gradation of the cellular material. Results have shown that optimal design of hip implant geometry, in terms of stress behavior, was achieved through functionally graded lattice structures and the hip implant is capable of withstanding up to two times the in vivo loads, suggesting that this design is a suitable and effective replacement for a solid implant.

Additive manufacturing technology for porous metal implant applications and triple minimal surface structures: A review

Recently, the fabrication methods of orthopedic implants and devices have been greatly developed. Additive manufacturing technology allows the production of complex structures with bio-mimicry features, and has the potential to overcome the limitations of conventional fabrication methods. This review explores open-cellular structural design for porous metal implant applications, in relation to the mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Several types of additive manufacturing techniques including selective laser sintering, selective laser melting, and electron beam melting, are discussed for different applications. Additive manufacturing through powder bed fusion shows great potential for the fabrication of high-quality porous metal implants. However, the powder bed fusion technique still faces two major challenges: it is high cost and time-consuming. In addition, triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures are also analyzed in this paper, targeting the design of metal implants with an enhanced biomorphic environment.

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Orthopedic implants should exhibit biocompatibility and biomechanical compatibility.

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The elastic modulus of an implant should closely match that of natural bone.

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TPMS structures possess excellent biomimicry in supporting cell activities.

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AM technology allows the production of bone implant with biomimicry features.