Finite Element Dynamic Analysis of Walled TPMS Cantilever Beams with Varying Cell Topologies and Wall Thicknesses

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Production Engineering. Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University

2 Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, The British University in Egypt, El-Sherouk City, Cairo, 11837, Egypt

3 East Port Said University of Technology, Port Said 45632, Egypt

4 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, American University in Cairo, Cairo, Egypt,

Abstract

Lightweight lattice beams built from triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS) are attractive for vibration-sensitive applications, yet selecting cell topology and wall thickness to meet dynamic targets remains challenging. Despite growing interest in TPMS, systematic dynamic (modal) characterization of walled TPMS beams is still limited. This study performs finite-element modal analysis of cantilever beams infilled with six walled TPMS unit cells (Gyroid, Schwarz, Diamond, Lidinoid, Split-P, Neovius), varying wall thickness from 0.3-0.7 mm at fixed cell size, and validates the model using an experimentally tested solid PLA beam. The solid-beam benchmark shows excellent agreement between simulation and experiment (first natural frequency 166 Hz vs. 165 Hz), supporting the fidelity of the numerical setup. Across TPMS variants, Neovius consistently exhibits the highest natural frequencies, while Gyroid yields the lowest (also the lightest mass), indicating strong topology-driven stiffness effects; increasing wall thickness monotonically shifts the first and second bending frequencies upward for all topologies. These results provide practical guidance for topology-thickness selection: Neovius is preferred where higher modal frequencies are required, whereas Gyroid suits low-frequency, lightweight designs, with wall-thickness tuning enabling frequency targeting across applications.

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