3D printers boast a high degree of freedom of shape not found in conventional manufacturing technologies, but excellent design technology is required to maximize their performance.

The design engineering for such 3D printers is called Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM).

In our laboratory, we are studying DfAM by using techniques such as structural optimization.

In particular, we are focusing on the development of lattice structures (a type of porous material in the broad sense of the word, i.e., voids with internal holes), which are unique structure of 3D printers.

(From left to right: light-weight, isotropically stiff Lattice, its large-aperture version, isotropically high thermal conductivity Lattice.)

In addition, the lattice structure can easily achieve properties such as so-called functionally graded materials by changing its shape according to the location.

The following is a water-cooling functionally graded lattice structure.

Representative Papers

- A. Takezawa, X. Zhang, M. Kitamura, Optimization of an Additively Manufactured Functionally Graded Lattice Structure with Liquid Cooling Considering Structural Performances, Int. J. Heat. Mass. Tran., 143C (2019) 118564.

- A. Takezawa, X. Zhang, M. Kato, M. Kitamura, Method to Optimize an Additively-Manufactured Functionally-Graded Lattice Structure for Effective Liquid Cooling, Addit. Manufact., 28 (2019) 285-298.

- A. Takezawa, X. Zhang, M. Kitamura, Optimization of an Additively Manufactured Functionally Graded Lattice Structure with Liquid Cooling Considering Structural Performances, Int. J. Heat. Mass. Tran., 143C (2019) 118564.

- A. Takezawa, X. Zhang, M. Kato, M. Kitamura, Method to Optimize an Additively-Manufactured Functionally-Graded Lattice Structure for Effective Liquid Cooling, Addit. Manufact., 28 (2019) 285-298.

- A. Takezawa, X. Zhang, Y. Koizumi, Numerical study on the effective stiffness of topology-optimized lattice structures made of orthotropic crystal grains with optimal orientation, Comput. Mater. Sci., 159 (2019) 202-20.

- A. Takezawa, Y. Koizumi, M. Kobashi, High-stiffness and strength porous maraging steel via topology optimization and selective laser melting, Addit. Manuf. , 18 (2017) 194-202.

- A. Takezawa, M. Kobashi, Y. Koizumi, M. Kitamura, Porous metal produced by selective laser melting with effective isotropic thermal conductivity close to the Hashin-Shtrikman bound, Int. J. Heat. Mass. Tran., 105 (2017) 564-572.