Design analysis of 3D printed kagome structure

• Main Author: Koh, Estella Siew Lee
• Other Authors: Sridhar Idapalapati
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/74549
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

In the modern industries, reduction of weight without compromising the performance of the system while introducing better mechanical properties become one of the highlights when developing new material. Sandwich structures with lattice core have shown promising properties in the ultralight material regime with high strength to weight ratio. Conventionally in industrial applications, the most commonly used architecture core is that of honeycomb. Man-made honeycomb is a close type of ordered cellular structures which have a periodic distribution of cells. However, the use of such closed cellular material gives rise to disadvantages like moisture and gas retention in the pores. Hence, with the advancement in additive manufacturing, alternative core materials with open periodic cellular lattice truss structures such as Kagome, tetrahedral and pyramidal topologies are being explored and found to be competent with the performance of honeycomb. This research aims to investigate the performance of Kagome with additional vertical strut reinforced in the center of the unit cell, Strut Reinforced Kagome (SRK). The SRK unit cell structures are designed using SolidWorks and fabricated with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABSplusTM) along with the supporting material (P400SR®) through fused deposition modelling using the Stratasys® design series Dimension Elite®. The SRK structures’ performance under static and uniaxial compression loads were investigated using compression tests on Shimadzu Universal Testing Machine. Finite element analysis of structures was simulated using commercial finite element software Abaqus® CAE to compare with the experimental measurements of load-displacement and failure response. Kagome of same relative density was also tested to compare the properties of SRK. The effect of the additional vertical strut on load-bearing has also been studied. Both simulation and experimental results agreed that the SRK structure performed better than Kagome under compressive loading. The results suggest that SRK topology can be a viable core structure option in replacing honeycomb structure in the industrial applications.