Research on a novel honeycomb-like path for lightweight additive manufacturing

The influence of the printing path in additive manufacturing (AM) on the lightweight characteristics of the printed component is significant. This study addresses issues in existing lightweight printing paths, such as the excessive number of sharp turns, complex paths, time-consuming processes, and weak part bearing capacities. To overcome these challenges, a novel honeycomb-like path for lightweight AM was proposed. The honeycomb-like path was designed based on a combination of sine curves and straight lines, inspired by the robust bearing capacity of honeycombs. A path optimization method based on unit simplification was proposed, which achieved the control of honeycomb-like path shapes by adjusting the fill density to obtain printed parts with different performance characteristics. Subsequently, to evaluate the load-bearing performance, both quasi-static compression simulation tests through finite element simulations and actual quasi-static compression tests on physical specimens were conducted. The results indicated that the load-bearing capacity of the honeycomb-like path specimen surpassed those of the hexagonal honeycomb path specimen, contour offset path specimen, and parallel line path specimen under identical conditions. Furthermore, the quality of the specimens was evaluated based on printing time, weight, and user evaluations, concluding that honeycomb-like paths can produce qualified products with reduced time and lower material consumption. This research contributes innovative ideas and practical solutions to address the lightweight challenges in AM.