Design and Manufacturing of a Fish Cell–Inspired Lattice Structure Using ABS Material and Performance Analysis with LS-DYNA

Abstract

Bio-inspired structures represent innovative design approaches that adapt the morphological and structural features of natural organisms for engineering applications. In this study, a new lattice structure inspired by the form of a fish cell is presented. The structure was optimized to efficiently absorb impact energy and was manufactured using a three-dimensional printer with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS)-based thermoplastic material. After production, the mechanical strength and deformation behavior of the structure were examined through experimental tests under specific loading conditions. A numerical model of the structure was created using the finite element analysis software LS-DYNA, and simulations were carried out by applying similar boundary conditions to the modeled structure. Comparisons between numerical results and experimental data showed that the developed model could accurately represent the physical behavior. Furthermore, performance metrics such as Specific Energy Absorption (SEA) and Crush Force Efficiency (CFE) were used to evaluate the energy absorption capacity of the structure. The findings indicate that the proposed lattice structure is an effective candidate in terms of structural reliability and energy dissipation under impact loads. In this context, the design offers advantages such as light weight, manufacturability, and energy absorption capability, making it a potential solution for applications that require impact resistance, especially in the automotive and defense industries.

Keywords

• ABS material
• Crush force efficiency
• Finite element analysis
• Lattice structure
• Specific energy absorption

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