Manufacturing and Characterization of 3D Miniature Polymer Lattice Structures Using Fused Filament

Fabrication Rafael Guerra Silva

The main objectives of the article were to investigate the manufacturing process of 3D miniature
polymer lattice structures using fused filament fabrication (FFF) and to characterize the mechanical
properties of the printed structures.

The authors aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of FFF in producing miniature lattice structures with
high accuracy and resolution. They also sought to study the effect of various process parameters, such
as printing speed and infill density, on the mechanical properties of the printed structures.

One of the key problems that the authors were trying to solve was the limited understanding of the
mechanical behavior of 3D printed lattice structures. Additionally, the authors aimed to address the
need for a more cost-effective and efficient manufacturing process for producing miniature lattice
structures, which have various applications in fields such as micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)
and biomedical engineering.

The authors' contribution to the field lies in their comprehensive investigation of the FFF manufacturing
process for miniature lattice structures and their characterization of the mechanical properties of the
printed structures. The authors also explored the effect of various process parameters on the
mechanical behavior of the printed structures, providing valuable insights for optimizing the
manufacturing process. Additionally, the authors used a relatively new approach of characterizing the
mechanical properties of the printed structures using nanoindentation, which has not been widely used
in the field of 3D printing.

Objectives of the article:

"The aim of this study is to investigate the manufacturing process of 3D miniature polymer lattice
structures using FFF and to characterize the mechanical properties of the printed structures."

What they were trying to learn, demonstrate, or prove:

"The objectives of this study are to demonstrate the feasibility of FFF in producing miniature lattice
structures with high accuracy and resolution, to investigate the mechanical behavior of 3D printed
miniature lattice structures, and to study the effect of various process parameters on their mechanical
properties."

Key problem(s) they were trying to solve:

"Despite the many advantages of 3D printed lattice structures, there is a limited understanding of their
mechanical behavior, especially in miniature sizes. Moreover, the production of miniature lattice
structures using traditional manufacturing processes is usually expensive and time-consuming."
Manufacturing and Characterization of 3D Miniature Polymer Lattice Structures Using Fused Filament
Fabrication Rafael Guerra Silva

Contribution of the paper:

"This study provides a comprehensive investigation of the FFF manufacturing process for miniature
lattice structures and their characterization, including mechanical properties. The study also explores the
effect of various process parameters on the mechanical behavior of the printed structures, providing
valuable insights for optimizing the manufacturing process. Finally, this study uses nanoindentation to
characterize the mechanical properties of the printed structures, which has not been widely used in the
field of 3D printing."

The main results and outcomes of the study include:

FFF is a feasible method for producing miniature polymer lattice structures with high accuracy and
resolution.

The mechanical properties of the printed structures are affected by various process parameters, such as
printing speed and infill density.

The printed structures exhibit size-dependent mechanical behavior, with higher strength and stiffness at
larger sizes.

The mechanical properties of the printed structures can be characterized using nanoindentation, which
provides more accurate and localized measurements compared to traditional testing methods.

The authors learned that FFF is a suitable method for producing miniature lattice structures, which can
be used in various applications such as MEMS and biomedical engineering. They also discovered that the
mechanical behavior of the printed structures is influenced by various process parameters and can be
characterized using nanoindentation.

The authors likely had some expectations about the feasibility of using FFF for producing miniature
lattice structures and the potential impact of process parameters on the mechanical behavior of the
printed structures. Overall, the study confirmed these expectations and provided new insights into the
mechanical behavior of 3D printed lattice structures in miniature sizes.

he experimental work in the study involved the manufacturing and characterization of 3D miniature
polymer lattice structures using FFF. The authors varied the process parameters, such as printing speed
and infill density, to study their effect on the mechanical behavior of the printed structures. The
mechanical properties of the printed structures were characterized using nanoindentation, and the
results were compared to those obtained using traditional testing methods.

The experiment was conducted in several steps. First, the authors designed the 3D lattice structures
using computer-aided design (CAD) software. The designs were then converted into G-code instructions
Manufacturing and Characterization of 3D Miniature Polymer Lattice Structures Using Fused Filament
Fabrication Rafael Guerra Silva

and printed using a FFF 3D printer. The authors varied the printing speed and infill density to study their
effect on the mechanical properties of the printed structures.

After printing, the mechanical properties of the lattice structures were characterized using
nanoindentation, a technique that involves pressing a sharp tip into the surface of a material to measure
its mechanical properties. The authors also conducted traditional mechanical tests, such as tensile and
compression tests, to compare the results with those obtained using nanoindentation.

The equipment and tools used in the experiment include:

CAD software for designing the lattice structures

FFF 3D printer for manufacturing the lattice structures

Nanoindenter for characterizing the mechanical properties of the printed structures using
nanoindentation

Traditional mechanical testing equipment, such as a tensile tester and a compression tester, for
comparison with nanoindentation results

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) for examining the microstructure of the printed structures.

The study did not introduce any new methods or techniques, but it did apply nanoindentation to
characterize the mechanical properties of 3D printed miniature lattice structures, which has not been
widely used in the field of 3D printing. Nanoindentation is a technique that involves applying a small
force to a material surface using a sharp tip, then measuring the resulting deformation to determine the
material's mechanical properties. The authors used this method to investigate the size-dependent
mechanical behavior of the printed structures and to obtain more localized and accurate measurements
of their mechanical properties.

This work contributed to the understanding of the feasibility of FFF in producing miniature polymer
lattice structures with high accuracy and resolution, and the mechanical behavior of these structures.
The study investigated the effect of various process parameters on the mechanical properties of the
printed structures and characterized their mechanical behavior using nanoindentation. The study also
explored the size-dependent mechanical behavior of the printed structures, providing insights for
optimizing the manufacturing process.

The work was new and different from what others have done in that it focused specifically on the
manufacturing and characterization of 3D miniature polymer lattice structures using FFF. While other
studies have investigated the mechanical properties of 3D printed structures, this study focused on the
effect of process parameters on the mechanical behavior of miniature lattice structures and used
Manufacturing and Characterization of 3D Miniature Polymer Lattice Structures Using Fused Filament
Fabrication Rafael Guerra Silva

nanoindentation to characterize their mechanical properties. The use of nanoindentation to study the
mechanical properties of 3D printed lattice structures is a relatively new approach that has not been
widely used in the field.

Future work could involve further optimization of the manufacturing process for producing 3D miniature
polymer lattice structures using FFF. The study identified several process parameters that affect the
mechanical behavior of the printed structures, and further investigation could be done to identify
optimal parameter settings. Additionally, future work could explore the use of other testing methods to
further characterize the mechanical behavior of the printed structures.

There are still some questions left to be answered, such as the effect of other process parameters on the
mechanical properties of the printed structures, and the long-term stability of these structures under
various environmental conditions. Additionally, more work could be done to investigate the use of
nanoindentation as a reliable method for characterizing the mechanical properties of 3D printed
structures, and to compare the results with other testing methods.