Optimizing Lightweight Lattice Structures via Unit Cell Size and Subdivision for Efficient Additive Manufacturing of Complex Surface Parts
Ahmad Mohamad Fahmi, Gandjar Kiswanto, Ahmad Kholil

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia

Abstract

In additive manufacturing, designing lightweight lattice structures with low density is critical for reducing material usage and print time. This study investigates the effects of initial unit cell size and subdivision levels on lattice density and computational efficiency during lattice embedding in parts with complex, contoured surfaces. Using a single lattice topology, multiple combinations of base sizes and subdivision depths were evaluated to identify configurations that minimize density while ensuring rapid computation and manufacturability. Results demonstrate that larger base unit cells combined with limited subdivision achieve significantly reduced lattice density and faster processing times compared to smaller unit cells without subdivision, even in challenging surface geometries. These findings provide practical guidelines for designing lightweight lattice parts optimized for 3D printing in complex surface applications. Future work will explore mechanical performance validation.

Keywords: Additive Manufacturing, Lattice Structure, Adaptive Voxel Modeling

Topic: Material Physics