Effect of Elementary Unit Configurations on the Mechanical Performance of Periodic Lattice Structures to Architect Porous Scaffolds by FEM-Driven Additive Manufacturing

We report on the numerical calculation of mechanical parameters of porous metallic specimens produced of biocompatible Ti alloy by laser powder bed fusion. The porous structures have been composed based on different models as variously designed triply periodic minimized surfaces and strut-based constructions. We have elucidated the effect of the pore size and unit cell geometry on the strength and elastic properties of the lattice structures by finite element simulations of full-scale models of specimens for compression testing. We show how variation in pore size can influence mechanical parameters of Ti porous specimens within a single design as well as how these parameters might depend on the model used. The experimental validation of the numerical results showed a good correlation of trends predicted by simulations showing their ability to virtual designing advanced porous bioactive scaffolds for orthopedic applications. The issues related to improvement of the combination of implant’s desired properties are discussed. © The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Korean Institute of Metals and Materials 2025.