Design parameters of a Kagome lattice structure constructed by fused deposition modeling: a response surface methodology study

Nowadays, reducing the weight of materials while providing sufficient strength is vital in the transportation industry and energy absorption applications. A cellular lattice structure with excellent mechanical properties and low weight can be a suitable structure. Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D-printing has created a revolution in manufacturing processes. This allows for the manufacture of complex parts in small quantities. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a common and low-cost AM technique. In this research, a Kagome structure was constructed by FDM. The height, angle, and diameter of struts, and two typical materials acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polylactic acid (PLA) were varied by Box–Behnken response surface methodology (RSM). The specimens were subjected to compressive and shear tests. From the highest p value, it was found that the diameter of the strut is the most significant parameter of mechanical responses. The energy absorption was higher in ABS because of the higher strain-at-fracture in the tensile test of the ABS specimen. Optimization was conducted based on two types of objective functions. The optimized lattices were tested and the results were compared with the predictions obtained by regression equations. The equations extracted by RSM implied that the models can predict the experimental results in good agreement. Graphical abstract