Skip to main content

Impact Analysis of Additive Manufactured Lattice Structures

Impact Analysis (FEA) of Additive Manufactured Lattice Structures at Predictive Engineering Consulting Services

Analysis

LS-DYNA

Objective

This project work was sponsored by the US Army’s Natick Soldier Systems Center to investigate additive manufactured lattice structures for improved blunt impact protection for helmets. 

The idea is simple enough, modern helmets are designed to deflect or mitigate the impact forces due to bullets (high velocity) but not so much for blunt force impacts (lower velocity).  In military operations, blunt force impacts are common, albeit sometimes, accidently due to falls or in the rush to enter-exit buildings and vehicles.  In combat, flying debris also present challenge to helmet designers where the impacts can be both high- and low-velocity.

Our work was to set the foundation for the exploration of polymeric 3D lattice structures to create the next generation of energy-absorbing helmet liners for military applications. These structures could only be manufactured using the additive process and hence, the title of our work.  Results from this study can be found in our publication: 1377_11-Natick-1017-01 LS-DYNA Analysis of Engineered Polymer Structures for Blunt Impact Protection Rev-0B.pdf

Impact Modeling of Additive Manufactured Structures for Advanced Material Properties - Predictive Engineering Consulting Services
Development of Elastomeric Additive Manufacturing Materials from Mechanical Tests to FEA Verification - FEA Nonlinear Consulting Services
Experimental Testing of Polymeric Compounds - Bulk Modulus Testing to FEA Verification
Impact Testing of Elastomeric Compounds - Dynamic Impact Tests to FEA Validation using LS-DYNA Engineering Services
FEA LS-DYNA Nonlinear Energy Absorption Characterization of Additive Manufactured 3D Lattice Systems
LS-DYNA FEA Modeling Details - All Models Built using FEMAP from Siemens PLM Software - Courtesy of Applied CAx
Impact Test to FEA Correlation - Part I Dedicated Material Law _ Quality FEA Mesh _ Precise Exp Data - Absolutely Terrible Validation
Impact Test to FEA Correlation Part II - What We Now Know is Not What We Thought We Knew