Tensile Property Measurement of AlSi10Mg Additively Manufactured Lattice Structures

At present there is no recognised standard test method that can be used for the measurement of the tensile properties of additively manufactured lattice structures. The aim of this work was to develop and validate a methodology that would enable this material property to be measured for these geometrically and microstructurally complex material structures. A novel approach to initial measure the induvial lattice strut has been to enable the lattice struts and substructures to be manufactured and tested in standard bench top universal testing machines and in small scale in-situ SEM loading jigs. In conjunction with the mechanical tests a finite element (FEA) modelling approach has been used to help cross validate the methodology and results, and to enable larger lattice structures to be modelled with confidence. Having been used on individual struts the method has been scaled up to evaluate the tensile properties of a string of lattice unit cells and larger multi-dimensional constructs.

The design of the specimens and testing approach developed, which could lead to a standardised testing method for the tensile properties of lattice structures, is described and the results reviewed for the AlSi10Mg material, commonly used in additively manufactured heat exchangers, used in this work.