A Simplified Modelling Strategy for the Analysis of Lattice Structures with Manufacturing Defects

A Simplified Modelling Strategy for the Analysis of Lattice Structures with Manufacturing Defects

Davide Lorenzo CAPPA, Riccardo VESCOVINI

Abstract. The response of additively manufactured lattices is strongly affected by manufacturing induced imperfections. This work presents a numerical framework to model and assess these imperfections effectively. A simplified beam model is developed starting from accurate three-dimensional finite element analyses carried out on struts where the imperfections are modeled explicitly. The results show that the simplified models proposed here are capable of obtaining good matching with 3D simulations in terms of stiffness and strength, while requiring significantly lower computational cost.

Keywords
Lattice Structures, Manufacturing Defects, Additive Manufacturing

Published online 7/20/2026, 5 pages
Copyright © 2026 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA

Citation: Davide Lorenzo CAPPA, Riccardo VESCOVINI, A Simplified Modelling Strategy for the Analysis of Lattice Structures with Manufacturing Defects, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 69, pp 1402-1406, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644904251-245

The article was published as article 245 of the book CEAS – AIDAA Conference 2025

Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.

References
[1] O. Rehme, C. Emmelmann, Rapid manufacturing of lattice structures with selective laser melting. Laser-based Micropackaging 6107 (2006) 192-203. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.645848.
[2] E. Atzeni, A. Salmi, Economics of additive manufacturing for end-usable metal parts. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 62 (2012) 1147–1155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-011-3878-1.
[3] I. Echeta, X. Feng, B. Dutton, R. Leach, S. Piano, Review of defects in lattice structures manufactured by powder bed fusion. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology 106 (2020) 2649–2668. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-019-04753-4.
[4] X. Cao, Y. Jiang, T. Zhao, P. Wang, Y. Wang, Z. Chen, Y. Li, D. Xiao, D. Fang, Compression experiment and numerical evaluation on mechanical responses of the lattice structures with stochastic geometric defects originated from additive manufacturing. Composites Part B: Engineering 194 (2020) 108030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2020.108030.
[5] L. Liu, P. Kamm, F. García-Moreno, J. Banhart, D. Pasini, Elastic and failure response of imperfect three-dimensional metallic lattices: the role of geometric defects induced by Selective Laser Melting. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 107 (2017) 160-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2017.07.003.
[6] R. Gümrük, R.A.W. Mines, Compressive behaviour of stainless steel microlattice structures. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 68 (2013) 125-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2013.01.006.
[7] B. Lozanovski, M. Leary, P. Tran, D. Shidid, M. Qian, P. Choong, M. Brandt, Computational modelling of strut defects in SLM manufactured lattice structures. Materials & Design 171 (2019) 107671. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2019.107671.
[8] M. Smith, Z. Guan, W.J. Cantwell, Finite element modelling of the compressive response of lattice structures manufactured using the selective laser melting technique. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 67 (2013) 28-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2012.12.004.
[9] H.D. Carlton, N.A. Volkoff-Shoemaker, M.C. Messner, N.R. Barton, M. Kumar, Incorporating defects into model predictions of metal lattice-structured materials. Materials Science and Engineering A 832 (2022) 142427. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2021.142427.
[10] M.R. Karamooz Ravari, M.A. Kadkhodaei, Computationally efficient modelling approach for predicting mechanical behavior of cellular lattice structures. Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance 24 (2015) 245–252. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665- 014-1281-4.
[11] S. Tsopanos, R.A.W. Mines, S. McKown, Y. Shen, W.J. Cantwell, W. Brooks, C.J. Sutcliffe, The influence of processing parameters on the mechanical properties of selectively laser melted stainless steel microlattice structures. Journal of Manufacturing Science and Engineering 132 (2010) 041011. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4001743.