Energy-Absorbing Lattice Structures: Design, Simulation and Manufacturing Evaluation

This work explores the design, simulation and manufacturing of energy-absorbing two-dimensional lattice structures, aiming to identify geometries and processes that improve impact mitigation and lightweight performance. Several representative lattices were selected from literature or modified, including honeycomb, anti-tetrachiral and others. CAD models were prepared in CATIA V5 and evaluated with finite element analysis. Both static compression and explicit dynamic simulations were carried out in Ansys to study elastic-plastic behaviour, reaction forces and energy dissipation. The comparison showed that while honeycomb remains a conventional reference, auxetic and anti-tetrachiral geometries displayed greater capacity for plastic deformation and lower transmitted forces, which are desirable for energy absorption.

In addition to structural simulations, manufacturing feasibility was investigated. Additive manufacturing by Selective Laser Melting (AlSi10Mg) and investment casting with additive-assisted moulds were simulated in Altair Inspire and Inspire Cast. Preliminary coupons were also fabricated by polymer FDM printing to verify geometrical consistency and prepare for mechanical testing. These first physical prototypes confirm that the designed structures can be produced with acceptable accuracy and provide the basis for further experiments.

The study highlights the strong influence of lattice geometry on energy absorption efficiency and underlines the importance of combining digital modelling, process simulation and preliminary prototyping. Future work will extend the study to full mechanical tests on manufactured coupons to validate the numerical simulations. The results are expected to support the selection of one or two lattice families that combine mechanical efficiency with robust and cost-effective manufacturing processes.