{"id":37608,"date":"2022-05-06T09:38:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T16:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.padtinc.com\/?p=37608"},"modified":"2023-10-04T16:46:49","modified_gmt":"2023-10-04T23:46:49","slug":"new-paper-optimization-in-nature-simulation-3d-printing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.padtinc.com\/2022\/05\/06\/new-paper-optimization-in-nature-simulation-3d-printing\/","title":{"rendered":"New Paper: Exploring Optimization in Nature Through Simulation and 3D Printing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

PADT’s Alex Grishin, PhD Partners with ASU Faculty and Staff to study “Parametric optimization of corner radius in hexagonal honeycombs under in-plane compression”<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While working together on a NASA-funded PHASE 1 STTR<\/a>, PADT and ASU were exploring how nature has evolved optimized structures. In their preliminary research, they became fascinated by the way insects built a different corner radius in “hexagonal cell nests.” These structures, the best-known example are honeycombs, use a repeated hexagonal cell, but the corners in the cell always have a radius. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Hexagonal unit cells in social insect nests with corner radii: (a) honey bee (b)  wasp, and (c) a different wasp.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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This interest turned into the question, what is the optimal corner radius for a given compressive load? Several years and groups of grad students later, the resulting research was published in the Journal of Manufacturing Processes, Volume 79, in July of 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can read the paper at this link<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the abstract points out, they used a 400-point design of experiments study using parametric 2D plane strain Ansys Mechanical model to look at how cell size, beam geometry, and corner radius impacted the effective stiffness and corner stresses. They found an optimum corner radius that was a function of beam thickness, beamwidth, and the ratio of width to thickness. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Results showing how radius impacts the location, magnitude, and topology of the maximum stress distribution. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Further large deflection simulation and then testing showed that changes in the corner radius shifted the failure mode under increasing compression from fracture to plastic hinging. This is important because honeycomb structures are used for energy absorption applications like bumpers and crumple zones. Extensive 3D Printing of both polymer and metal structures was used to create the cellular structures being optimized. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Dr. Grishin worked with ASU Professor Dhruv Bhate, PhD, and a variety of students over the course of the study. This project came out of a PHASE1 STTR that was followed by two more STTR efforts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n