Application and development of additive manufacturing lattice structure metal component technology (I)

【Objective】 In response to the application requirements of additive manufacturing (AM) technology for metallic lattice-structured components, this paper clarifies the key technical points and research progress of AM in fabricating metallic lattice structures, investigates the critical issues in the forming, property regulation and defect control of such components, and provides theoretical references and research insights for the technological development and engineering application of additively manufactured metallic lattice-structured components.
【Method】 Using literature investigation and comprehensive analysis, this work systematically reviews the development history and application status of additively manufactured metallic lattice-structured components, focuses on the classification and characteristics of lattice structures, and expounds the technical advantages of additive manufacturing for fabricating lattice structures. From a metallurgical perspective, it analyzes the dynamic process of powder melting and solidification during the lattice structure forming procedure, investigates the regulation mechanism of heat treatment on the mechanical properties of the components, comprehensively summarizes the defect formation mechanisms of metallic lattice structures, and sorts out the mainstream defect detection methods at the current stage.
【Result】 The structural characteristics and differences in mechanical properties of three types of lattice structures (truss-type, triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS), and bionic-type lattices) are clarified. Additive manufacturing is confirmed to exhibit prominent advantages in the fabrication of metallic components with complex lattice structures, such as high design flexibility, large forming freedom, and the ability to realize the synergistic optimization of lightweight and performance. The influence laws of micro-melt pool characteristics, remelting phenomena and process parameters on the forming quality of lattice structures are revealed. The coupling relationships between heat treatment processes, microstructures and mechanical properties of lattice structures with different matrix materials are analyzed. The common defects and corresponding formation mechanisms of additively manufactured metallic lattice-structured components are summarized, and industrial computed tomography (CT) integrated with intelligent algorithms is identified as an efficient approach for the defect detection of lattice structures at the current stage.
【Conclusion】 Additive manufacturing provides an effective approach for the fabrication of complex metallic lattice structures. Benefiting from the advantages of high specific strength, high specific stiffness, lightweight and multifunctionality, metallic lattice‑structured components present broad application prospects in aerospace, medical treatment, automotive engineering and other fields. Among these aspects, the regulation of the melting and solidification process during additive manufacturing, the optimization of heat treatment processes, and defect detection and control are the key links to improve the forming quality and performance of additively manufactured metallic lattice‑structured components. For the future development of additive manufacturing technology for metallic lattice‑structured components, efforts should be focused on the multi‑scale optimal design of lattice structures, the investigation of the metallurgical essence of additive manufacturing, the construction of the full‑cycle manufacturing process, and the full exploitation of AM technical advantages, so as to promote the engineering application of this technology in high‑end equipment manufacturing and other fields.