Recent Advancements of Micro-Lattice Structures: Application, Manufacturing Methods, Mechanical Properties, Topologies and Challenges

Micro-lattice structure is a modern concept in cellular materials, which merges valuable mechanical attributes of material with smart geometrical directions. It is light in weight and consists of high energy absorption capacity, high strength and less vibration than other cellular materials. The micro-lattice structure is another type of cellular solid’s materials containing slender lattice parts known as strut and is categorized according to their cell arrangement. Due to the above properties nowadays, it is very popular for industrial applications like medical and bioengineering, aviation, automation and robotics. There are various techniques available for manufacturing micro-lattice structure. The simple, rapid and scalable fabrication of micro-lattice structure is achieved using additive manufacturing. Even geometrically intricate parts, complex assemblies can easily accommodate this lightweight technology. This paper presents an overall view of the micro-lattice structure concerning different topologies, various manufacturing methods, and different materials used. This paper also discusses how the variation of the above parameters can perk up the micro-lattices working notably, from a mechanical and application outlook. The attributes of micro-lattice structures and the foremost later finite element analysis models developed by different researchers for analyses of different properties have been also discussed here. This paper surveys the challenges confronted by various researchers and proposes future insight about micro-lattice structures required to progress their utilization in lightweight applications.