Design for additive manufacturing of flexible lattice structures : A simulation driven design approach
(2026)- Abstract
- Additive manufacturing (AM) makes it feasible to realise complex lattice structures
that provide structural flexibility through engineered structural design rather than
relying solely on material softness. Across sectors such as furniture, healthcare,
protective equipment, and robotics, such flexibility is a core functional requirement,
that influences comfort, fit, impact response, lightweighting, and functional
integration, thereby making the design of flexible lattice structures particularly
appealing. While prior AM research has largely focused on lightweight, stiffnessoriented
lattices, systematic design for controlled structural flexibility remains
underdeveloped. This gap is amplified when... (More) - Additive manufacturing (AM) makes it feasible to realise complex lattice structures
that provide structural flexibility through engineered structural design rather than
relying solely on material softness. Across sectors such as furniture, healthcare,
protective equipment, and robotics, such flexibility is a core functional requirement,
that influences comfort, fit, impact response, lightweighting, and functional
integration, thereby making the design of flexible lattice structures particularly
appealing. While prior AM research has largely focused on lightweight, stiffnessoriented
lattices, systematic design for controlled structural flexibility remains
underdeveloped. This gap is amplified when sustainability goals push material
selection toward stiffer bio-based polymers instead of typical elastomers. In this
context, geometry-driven flexibility provides a way to achieve structural flexibility
that addresses both performance and environmental objectives while integrating
AM-specific considerations throughout the design process.
This dissertation investigates the design of flexible strut-based lattice structures
using a simulation-driven design (SDD) approach centered on dual design for
additive manufacturing (DDfAM). Through DDfAM, it integrates geometry
parameters, material behaviour, and manufacturing constraints directly into the
design process to realise functional, manufacturable lattice structures with
engineered geometry-driven flexibility. The dissertation comprises of five interrelated
peer-reviewed studies that combine systematic literature review, numerical
modelling, and experimental validation using selective laser sintering of bio-based
polyamide, PA11.
The dissertation identifies key factors governing structural flexibility: lattice size
and geometry, strut thickness & orientation, print orientation, and manufacturing
deviations, while quantifying their effects, for instance, variations in as-printed
materials’ stiffness due to strut orientation changes. It develops and refines finite
element-based numerical models through experimental calibration for accurate
strut- and lattice-level predictions, especially for thin struts near manufacturability
limits. It demonstrates how geometry-driven flexibility can be used to replicate
foam-like flexibility using stiffer bio-based material. Building on these findings, it
proposes an SDD approach to design bio-based flexible lattice structures,
specifically for AM and presents a case exemplification for a real-world component.
The main contribution of this dissertation lies in demonstrating how SDD can bridge
design intent and manufacturability for flexible lattice structures. By enabling
geometry-driven flexibility to develop bio-based design alternatives, it broadens
both the material and application space for additively manufactured lattice
structures and provides a structured design approach for engineering applications
that require structural flexibility. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/0b9eb1e0-0eb3-4a25-a5a7-ed33d3a8195a
- author
- Dash, Satabdee LU
- supervisor
-
- Axel Nordin LU
- Glenn Johansson LU
- opponent
-
- Prof. Ölvander, Johan, Linköping University, Sweden.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-03-17
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- keywords
- Design for additive manufacturing, DfAM, lattice structures, flexibility, computational methods, numerical modelling, engineering design process
- pages
- 101 pages
- publisher
- Department of Design Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University
- defense location
- Lecture hall Stora Hörsalen, Ingvar Kamprad Designcentrum (IKDC), Klas Anshelms väg 20, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, Lund. The dissertation will be live streamed, but part of the premises is to be excluded from the live stream. Zoom: https://lu-se.zoom.us/j/65128143248
- defense date
- 2026-04-10 09:15:00
- ISBN
- ISBN 978-91-8104-897-1
- ISBN 978-91-8104-896-4
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0b9eb1e0-0eb3-4a25-a5a7-ed33d3a8195a
- date added to LUP
- 2026-03-13 16:46:03
- date last changed
- 2026-03-18 10:10:55
@phdthesis{0b9eb1e0-0eb3-4a25-a5a7-ed33d3a8195a,
abstract = {{Additive manufacturing (AM) makes it feasible to realise complex lattice structures<br/>that provide structural flexibility through engineered structural design rather than<br/>relying solely on material softness. Across sectors such as furniture, healthcare,<br/>protective equipment, and robotics, such flexibility is a core functional requirement,<br/>that influences comfort, fit, impact response, lightweighting, and functional<br/>integration, thereby making the design of flexible lattice structures particularly<br/>appealing. While prior AM research has largely focused on lightweight, stiffnessoriented<br/>lattices, systematic design for controlled structural flexibility remains<br/>underdeveloped. This gap is amplified when sustainability goals push material<br/>selection toward stiffer bio-based polymers instead of typical elastomers. In this<br/>context, geometry-driven flexibility provides a way to achieve structural flexibility<br/>that addresses both performance and environmental objectives while integrating<br/>AM-specific considerations throughout the design process.<br/>This dissertation investigates the design of flexible strut-based lattice structures<br/>using a simulation-driven design (SDD) approach centered on dual design for<br/>additive manufacturing (DDfAM). Through DDfAM, it integrates geometry<br/>parameters, material behaviour, and manufacturing constraints directly into the<br/>design process to realise functional, manufacturable lattice structures with<br/>engineered geometry-driven flexibility. The dissertation comprises of five interrelated<br/>peer-reviewed studies that combine systematic literature review, numerical<br/>modelling, and experimental validation using selective laser sintering of bio-based<br/>polyamide, PA11.<br/>The dissertation identifies key factors governing structural flexibility: lattice size<br/>and geometry, strut thickness & orientation, print orientation, and manufacturing<br/>deviations, while quantifying their effects, for instance, variations in as-printed<br/>materials’ stiffness due to strut orientation changes. It develops and refines finite<br/>element-based numerical models through experimental calibration for accurate<br/>strut- and lattice-level predictions, especially for thin struts near manufacturability<br/>limits. It demonstrates how geometry-driven flexibility can be used to replicate<br/>foam-like flexibility using stiffer bio-based material. Building on these findings, it<br/>proposes an SDD approach to design bio-based flexible lattice structures,<br/>specifically for AM and presents a case exemplification for a real-world component.<br/>The main contribution of this dissertation lies in demonstrating how SDD can bridge<br/>design intent and manufacturability for flexible lattice structures. By enabling<br/>geometry-driven flexibility to develop bio-based design alternatives, it broadens<br/>both the material and application space for additively manufactured lattice<br/>structures and provides a structured design approach for engineering applications<br/>that require structural flexibility.}},
author = {{Dash, Satabdee}},
isbn = {{ISBN 978-91-8104-897-1}},
keywords = {{Design for additive manufacturing; DfAM; lattice structures; flexibility; computational methods; numerical modelling; engineering design process}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{03}},
publisher = {{Department of Design Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{Design for additive manufacturing of flexible lattice structures : A simulation driven design approach}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/244861209/e-spik_ex_Satabdee.pdf}},
year = {{2026}},
}