Influence of cellular architecture and geometrical parameters on the strength-to-weight ratio of additively manufactured honeycomb cores

Abstract

This study examines how cellular architecture and geometry affect the strength-to-weight performance of PLA+ honeycomb cores produced by fused deposition modeling. Three cellular architectures (hexagonal, over-expanded hexagonal, and square) are evaluated by varying core height, cell wall length, and wall thickness across 48 samples (16 per configuration) with an 80 × 80 mm cross-section consistent with ASTM C365 standard. Out-of-plane compression tests determine compressive strength and strength-to-weight ratio. A Taguchi L16 design and ANOVA quantify factor effects, and multi-objective optimization identifies parameter sets that jointly maximize strength-to-weight ratio and reduce manufacturing cost. Hexagonal cores consistently achieve higher strength-to-weight ratios and lower mass and cost than the other topologies; the optimized hexagonal design (core height 12.7 mm, cell wall length 6 mm, wall thickness 1 mm) attains a strength-to-weight ratio of about 49.8 kNm kg-1 and demonstrates notable material and cost savings. Experimental measurements align closely with finite element simulations, with variances of 0.5–14%, supporting the robustness of the findings. The results indicate that appropriate selection of honeycomb topology and geometric parameters yields lighter, stronger, and more economical components, providing validated guidance for high-performance sandwich structures in aerospace and automotive applications.