METAMET project to 3D print metallic microlattices for lightweight parts

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A consortium of companies and organisations is embarking on METAMET, an 18-month project developing a digital framework for the design and additive manufacture of lattice metamaterial structures.

Example image shows a bespoke, additively manufactured engine lifting bracket. Use of additive manufacturing (AM) enabled the titanium component to be optimised for weight saving and material wastage, with emphasis on critical features and designs for AM - TWI

The project, funded by Innovate UK via the UK government’s Resource Efficiency for Materials and Manufacturing (REforMM) programme, is being carried out by Authentise, NS85Ltd, Holdson Limited and the Joining 4.0 Innovation Centre (J4IC), a partnership between Lancaster University and TWI Ltd. 

The aim of the project is to identify a comprehensive and traceable way of optimising 3D printed parts using lattices that can provide material properties including directional cooling, reduced vibration and enhanced crack resistance to parts.

Metallic microlattices can enable extremely lightweight structures, with high strength-to-weight ratios that also have energy absorption properties, mechanical strength, thermal management capacity and design versatility. Consequently, these lightweight structures appeal to industries including aerospace, automotive and transportation.

To utilise the properties of latices several challenges in design and manufacture need to be addressed, including the handling of intricate and geometrically complex structures, the identification of suitable materials; the need to develop new fabrication techniques, and addressing scale and size limitations to facilitate mass production while maintaining desired properties.

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metallic microlattices