Tiling-based lattice generation for structural property exploration

Abstract

Advancements in additive manufacturing enable the development of artificial lattice structures with unique properties not found in natural materials. Specifically, filament-based lattices are known for having a lightweight yet strong nature, exhibiting auxetic behavior and excellent energy absorption capabilities. Recent research has focused on developing algorithms and frameworks to manipulate cell geometry and material properties to achieve unusual properties. However, the exploration of the full design space is hampered in practice primarily due to restrictions on cell tiling variation. Here, for the first time, a Tiling-Based Lattice Generation (TBLatGen) framework is presented that relies on various tiling operations and stochastic changes in internal cell geometry. By utilizing reflections, rotations, glide reflections, translations, and combinations of these operations, lattice structures are tiled to achieve an extensive range of properties. For instance, achieving Poisson's ratios ranging over at least ±20 using a minimal set of design parameters is demonstrated, a range unprecedented in prior studies. Experimental testing of a physical prototype validates the auxetic behavior of one newly proposed tiled lattice structure. Beyond this, the proposed TBLatGen framework is anticipated to be applicable to general periodic metamaterials, enabling the design and discovery of new structures exhibiting exceptional mechanical, thermal, electrical, or magnetic properties.