Examining the impact of Voronoi parameters on compressive strength, porosity, and weight in the additive manufacturing of bio-inspired porous structures

This research investigates Additive Manufacturing (AM) of high strength-to-weight ratio structures by deploying Voronoi patterns as a bio-inspired infill strategy. This study systematically explores the impact of three key Voronoi parameters, namely Cell Count (CC), Cell Scale (CS), and Cell Relaxation (CR) on the compression strength (Cst), porosity, and weight (Csw) of the samples. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) of PETG material is used for experimental runs by deploying a Central Composite Design (CCD) for the Design of Experiments (DoE). The results indicate that CC and CR exert minimal influence on Cst and Csw, primarily contributing to the geometric arrangement. Conversely, CS emerged as a pivotal factor, with an optimal value of approximately 76% maintaining the maximal surface area and minimal gaps between Voronoi walls. Beyond this range, merged walls and thin structures compromised compression strength. The research objective prioritizes an equitable consideration of compression strength and weight in AM components. The results illustrate that increased total porosity leads to reduced mass, concurrently diminishing compression strength. Conversely, porosity between Voronoi cells emerges as a pivotal factor influencing compression strength. Minimizing the gap between these cells provides enhanced support, thereby sustaining the overall compression strength of the printed components. The present study paves the way for understanding the significance of the cell parameters in achieving a delicate balance between structural integrity and weight reduction in developing bio-inspired porous structures.