China3D printingNet September 23, 3D design software company General Lattice has won a contract from the US Army to use 3D printing and advanced lattice geometry to improve the impact absorption of Army combat helmets.
The one-year research and development project is currently underway at the General Lattice plant in Chicago, Illinois. The company will develop a predictive modeling tool set to design and generate high-quality lattice materials for helmets.
A hierarchical 3D printed lattice created by General Lattice. Photo courtesy of General Lattice.
Transform the design with lattice materials
According to General Lattice, lattice materials have the potential to revolutionize the way companies make new products in various fields, including commercial, industrial, and military markets.
The company was founded in February 2019 with the goal of making the design of additive manufacturing a seamless experience and focusing on optimizing the lattice structure of real-world end-use applications.
The company uses a combination of computational design, advanced lattice materials, and 3D printing to design and manufacture personalized products that can be fine-tuned to specific biological characteristics without incurring the additional costs and waste normally associated with traditional customization techniques.
3D printed lattice structure created by General Lattice. Photo courtesy of General Lattice
Improved U.S. combat helmet
General Lattice’s mission is to improve the shock-absorbing combat helmet used by US Army soldiers and accurately meet the key performance requirements of the DEVCOM Soldier Center (DEVCOM-SC). The new helmet is designed to enhance the protection and survivability of soldiers in the field.
As the performance of the traditional foam materials used in helmets has been exhausted, General Lattice began to use its 3D printing and advanced lattice technology to design and validate alternatives.
The company is developing a predictive modeling tool set to use computational design and digital manufacturing techniques to design and generate lattice materials based on real-world data. The lattice material designed by the company cannot be obtained through traditional composite materials and manufacturing processes, and will be tested in a real environment to ensure its performance.
The company chose a variety of possible materials and hardware for the suspension system of the combat helmet to improve its shock absorption capacity. Lattice samples will be tested to verify the accuracy of the General Lattice prediction model. If successful, DEVCOM-SC can explore lattice filling profiles for a wide range of applications in the future.
Baseball helmets with 3D printed plaid pads are designed to demonstrate the company’s capabilities. Photo courtesy of General Lattice
Use 3D printed grids to improve impact absorption
As the technologies and materials used for 3D printing lattice structures continue to improve, such structures are being deployed for more and more applications, especially their shock absorption advantages. Therefore, 3D printed lattices have been used to improve health and safety for some time.
In 2014, UCLA researchers tried to protect NFL players from concussions, dementia, and other diseases caused by repeated head trauma by creating an impact-absorbing 3D printed microlattice material. The technology has been applied elsewhere in the sports world. 3D printer manufacturer Carbon and sporting goods manufacturer CCM Hockey 3D printed the world’s first NHL certified hockey helmet liner with a digitally printed lattice structure.
The defense department also showed interest in the technology. The Soldier Institute of Nanotechnology (ISN), consisting of MIT, California Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, and the US Army Research Laboratory, has used nanoscale 3D printing technology to form a material that is reported to be preventing The projectile aspect is better than Kevlar or steel. This material is made of tiny carbon lattices and may be used in bulletproof armor and equipment for armed forces.
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