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Investigations into the mechanical properties of TA6V Dode-Thin lattice sandwich beams fabricated by powder bed laser beam melting process

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Abstract

This paper compares the results of a theoretical approach, finite element analysis (FEA) and mechanical tests of monolithic TA6V Dode-Thin lattice core sandwich structures manufactured by powder bed laser beam melting process. An analytical approach to evaluate the mechanical properties of one Dode-Thin strut is briefly presented. The strut is then replaced by an equivalent beam whose cross-section is a solid circle. Various finite element (FE) models are used to calculate the effective mechanical properties of a defect-free structure and compared to the analytical results of beam theory. Besides the calculations, different experimental tests and measurements are carried out to measure the stiffness of the sandwich beams. These experiments show that both theoretical and numerical predictions significantly overestimate the stiffnesses. The discrepancies between the models and the as-built components are mainly due to geometrical imperfections and internal defects (porosity) caused by the AM process. Optical observations and X-ray computed tomography (CT) are then performed to determine the actual cross-sectional properties of the struts. Finally, this study provides the engineer with a simple method to replace a Dode-Thin strut with an equivalent beam of solid circular cross-section, and to define the equivalent 3D-orthotropic material with homogenized mechanical properties. Another contribution of this work is the insight into the as-built physical parameters to improve the correlation between models and experimental data.

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Abbreviations

AM:

Additive manufacturing

CAD:

Computer-aided design

CT:

Computed tomography

DIC:

Digital image correlation

DMA:

Dynamic mechanical analysis

DOF:

Degrees of freedom

DT:

Dode-Thin

FE:

Finite element

FEA:

Finite element analysis

FEM:

Finite element model

FRF:

Frequency response function

HSV:

Hue, saturation, lightness

LBM:

Laser beam melting

RD:

Rhombic dodecahedron

SLM:

Selective laser melting

ZOI:

Zone of interest

i.e.:

Id est

µCT:

Micro-computed tomography

wrt:

With respect to

a :

Length of the sides of the equilateral triangle

A :

Cross-sectional area

A eq :

Equivalent cross-sectional area

D :

Diameter of the beam

D eq :

Equivalent diameter of the beam

E* :

Effective Young’s modulus of the lattice unit cell

E S :

Young’s modulus of the solid material

F :

Force

F Y :

Force component about y-axis

G* :

Effective shear modulus of the lattice unit cell

G S :

Shear modulus of the solid material

I :

Second-area moment, commonly referred to as moment of inertia

I eq :

Equivalent moment of inertia

K axial :

Axial stiffness

L :

Length of the beam

L Cell :

Edge length of the cube into which the lattice unit cell is inscribed

M :

Bending moment

N :

Normal force

T :

Transverse shear force

λ :

Relative position along the beam axis from origin

ν*:

Effective Poisson’s ratio of the lattice unit cell

ν S :

Poisson’s ratio of the solid material

ρ S :

Density of the solid material

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge and convey their appreciation to those individuals, Erasmus+ students, institutions and corporations, in particular Thales Alenia Space—France (TAS-F) in Toulouse, who have generously given permission to use and study their TA6V lattice core sandwich structures fabricated by the laser beam melting (LBM) additive manufacturing technique. We also thank Dr. Paul Duru from FERMAT (Fluids, Energy, Reactors, Materials and Transfers) Research Federation in Toulouse for carrying out the X-ray micro-computed tomography of the sample.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Icam, 75 Av. de Grande-Bretagne, 31300, Toulouse, France

    Philippe Guy & Olivier Dorival

  2. Institut Clément Ader, UMR CNRS 5312, INSA/UPS/ISAE/Mines Albi, Université de Toulouse, 3 Rue Caroline Aigle, 31400, Toulouse, France

    Philippe Guy, Olivier Dorival, Jean-Noël Périé & Guilhem Michon

  3. IQS School of Engineering - Universitat Ramón Llull, Via Augusta 390, 08017, Barcelona, Spain

    Marco A. Pérez

  4. Thales Alenia Space, 26 Av. Jean François Champollion, 31100, Toulouse, France

    Christophe Fabriès

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  1. Philippe Guy
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  2. Olivier Dorival
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  3. Marco A. Pérez
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  4. Jean-Noël Périé
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  6. Guilhem Michon
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Correspondence to Philippe Guy.

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Guy, P., Dorival, O., Pérez, M.A. et al. Investigations into the mechanical properties of TA6V Dode-Thin lattice sandwich beams fabricated by powder bed laser beam melting process. CEAS Space J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12567-024-00543-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12567-024-00543-1

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