Mechanical Properties of Samples Based on Schwartz-P Minimal Surface

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study of the physical and mechanical properties of cellular structures fabricated by means of additive manufacturing. The structural elements are repeating in three directions, and have a geometric shape of Schwarz-P surface. Samples in the form of a cube (size 30x30x30 mm) were created by layer-by-layer fusion of thermoplastic polymer on a FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer. Compression tests of samples with different geometry have shown that with an increase in the characteristic size of a repeating structural element with a decrease in the parameter (t), the strength of the samples increases and is maximal at t = -0.6. According to the calculations performed by the finite element method, this is associated with an increase in the area of ​​the dangerous section. However, specimens with t = 0 have the highest specific strength. This is because the average curvature of products with t = 0 is zero at each point, which contributes to the effective distribution of mechanical stresses in the specimen. When t ≠ 0, the average curvature is constant, but has a non-zero value.