Customized Lattice Structures for Digital Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current CAD design and modeling tools face challenges in generating and modeling complex lattice structures, which are needed for lightweight products requiring varying mechanical properties, such as aerospace and biomedical applications, due to their inherent homogeneity and difficulty in achieving specific mechanical damping and customization.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that allows for the design and generation of customized lattice structures by receiving a three-dimensional volume, lattice configurations, and user-defined design rules to modify the geometry and type of lattice configurations, enabling the creation of structures with tailored mechanical properties through web-based and mobile applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If homogeneous foam materials are used to reduce weight, then weight is reduced, but the ability to achieve varying mechanical properties and localized mechanical damping is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the density and structural parameters of lattice structures at different locations within the foam material. This allows different regions to have tailored mechanical properties such as stiffness, strength, and damping characteristics, while maintaining the overall lightweight advantage of foam materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining foam with embedded lattice structures. This composite approach enables the integration of lightweight foam properties with the customizable mechanical characteristics of lattice structures, achieving both weight reduction and localized mechanical property control.
2Strength
If complex lattice structures are designed to achieve customized mechanical properties, then mechanical performance is improved, but design and modeling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex lattice structure design into standardized unit cells that can be repeatedly arranged and configured. This modular approach simplifies the design process by allowing engineers to select and parameterize basic building blocks rather than designing entire complex structures from scratch, while still achieving customized mechanical properties through varying unit cell arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by allowing easy modification of key geometric parameters such as cell size, wall thickness, and lattice orientation. These parameter adjustments enable customization of mechanical properties without fundamentally changing the underlying structure, simplifying the design process while maintaining mechanical performance flexibility.
3Ease of manufacture
If homogeneous density distribution is used in foam, then manufacturing is simplified, but the ability to achieve localized mechanical damping in the millimetre range is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the lattice structure geometry and density distribution before the actual manufacturing process. This allows the complex localized variations to be designed and validated in the digital model, enabling subsequent manufacturing using standard additive manufacturing processes without requiring complex real-time adjustments during production.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-implemented method for designing a customized lattice structure for digital manufacturing, includes: receiving a three-dimensional volume; receiving one or more lattice configurations configured to fill the three-dimensional volume; receiving one or more user-defined design rules configured to modify a type and/or a geometry of the lattice configurations; populating the three-dimensional volume based on the lattice configurations; and applying one or more of the user-defined design rules onto the populated lattice configurations, thereby forming the customized lattice structure; generating a digital representation of the customized lattice structure; and incorporating a render of the digital representation in a web page of an HTML client and/or in a native application of a client device.