Topology Optimized Lattice Design and Mechanical Evaluation of 3D Printed PLA Specimens under Tensile and Compressive Conditions

Abstract

The lightweight design of 3D-printed polylactic acid (PLA) components requires optimization strategies that reduce material usage while preserving mechanical performance under loading conditions. In this study, cubic lattice topology optimization was applied to tensile and compression specimens manufactured by 3D printing using PLA. The mechanical properties of the base material were experimentally determined and incorporated into finite element analyses. The boundary conditions were defined to reproduce the experimental stress state under standardized testing, with tensile and compressive loads selected based on the material’s yield strength. The optimized geometries were subsequently fabricated by 3D printing and mechanically tested. A qualitative agreement was observed between the simulated and experimental responses, confirming that the gradient-driven optimization approach implemented in ANSYS provided physically representative and experimentally validated designs. The printed PLA exhibited ductile-like behavior attributed to the fused deposition modeling process. Thus, this work demonstrates the feasibility of integrating topology optimization, finite element analysis, and experimental validation to develop PLA components under realistic loading conditions.