基于 SLM 工艺的点阵结构优化设计工艺要素

[Objective] Owing to the unique manufacturing process of selective laser melting (SLM), designing and manufacturing parts with complex geometries, including cantilever structures, can pose major challenges. This study aims to investigate the effects of the SLM processing angle and diameter on the appearance and mechanical performance of rod units. [Methods] Two groups of samples were designed and manufactured. An experimental approach was developed to evaluate the appearance and mechanical performance of the rod unit in the SLM process, focusing on the point-line structure. [Results] Through appearance observation and mechanical testing, the following conclusions were drawn: 1) Regardless of the addition of a support, the inclined angle considerably affects the shape quality of the pole. As the tilt angle increases, the appearance error of the rod gradually decreases. When the angle is less than 30°, the vertical error is large (greater than 0.2 mm). When the tilt angle is 45°, the error drops rapidly. Furthermore, when the tilt angle exceeds 45°, the error becomes less than 0.1 mm. The diameter of the rod unit has minimal effect on the contour error. However, as the design diameter increases, the relative error gradually decreases. 2) When a support is added, the pole unit exhibits good mechanical properties, with a tensile strength as high as 1 100 MPa. The tilt angle and the diameter of the rod have minimal effect on the mechanical properties, and their effect can be ignored when designing the dot matrix structure. 3) An error formula for the rod unit and a calculation formula for the cross-sectional area are proposed. The former determines the vertical error based on the tilt angle, while the latter estimates the cross-sectional area of the rod unit. [Conclusions] This study shows that the angle of the rod component considerably affects its shape, while the mechanical performance and angle variations of the rod unit do not exhibit an inverse relationship. The formula proposed in this study can be used to predict the cross-sectional area of the rear rod unit, which in turn helps estimate its load-bearing capacity and provides a reference for lattice structure design. Moreover, this area prediction formula can be used to adjust topological optimization results, ensuring that the designed dot matrix structure aligns more closely with the printed structure. This approach enhances product performance, making the final product more consistent with expectations, which holds considerable significance for the entire structural design field.