Optimized 3D printed chiral lattice for broadband vibration suppression

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study of optimized numerical simulations on a metastructure created for the purpose of broadband vibration suppression. The proposed structure uses a stiff outer frame with periodic inserts as internal resonators in a beam like assembly to achieve high damping broadband performance. With the rapid improvement of 3D printing capabilities, chiral lattice inserts can be quickly created from an elastomeric material for use in the structure. The stiff outer frame is used to maintain the integrity of the structure while the flexible chiral lattice and annular masses dissipate the energy. This combined assembly is characterized by high frequency bandgaps and tuned vibration attenuation at low frequencies. These inserts and masses have been previously optimized to find the optimal topology and tuning to reduce global vibration levels of the beam. Experimental results demonstrate the suppression capabilities of this structure for possible use in vibration absorption in load carrying structural members.