Geometry-Based 3D Printing Eliminates Vibrations

Researchers from the University of Michigan and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) just unveiled a 3D-printed structure that’s capable of drastically reducing vibrations strictly from its geometry. The work could have a resounding effect on multiple industries, including construction, aerospace, and healthcare. Here’s what you need to know.

Vibration Control

The ability to control vibrations is a critical component in today’s technology. They help to reduce vibrations in everything from your car motor makes, all the way to the internal electrical components in your smartphone. Traditionally, engineers would create a barrier between components to buffer and reduce vibrations using an item like a rubber pad.

As time progressed, vibration engineers improved vibration control technology, and new materials were developed specifically for the task. For example, dampers and isolators helped keep movements and energy from transferring to sensitive components that could be damaged. Notably, this science has grown considerably. However, it relies primarily on the development of vibration-resistant chemical compositions to enhance performance.

How Nature Controls Vibrations

Nature has another approach towards vibration reduction that’s more effective and has been developed over billions of years of evolution. You can see nature designs perfected in several species, including woodpeckers, wood, bones, and even spider silk. Notably, all of these examples utilize their structure, alongside their composition, to provide additional vibration reduction or transfer capabilities.

Bio-Inspired Engineering Approaches

Recognizing their capabilities, scientists have spent many years attempting to replicate a geometric rather than chemical approach towards vibration isolation. They have discovered that the use of hierarchical structures can provide performance outside the realm of material chemistry.

Maxwell Lattices

Maxwell Lattices are a prime example of this work. They represent years of research in geometric topology. As such, these shapes exhibit excellent sound-dampening capabilities without any additional materials or systems. They utilize a 1-dimensional framework that effectively reduces load stress and redirects vibrations.

Kagome Tubes

One of the most common examples of Maxwell Lattices is the Kagome tubes. Interestingly, the term Kagome comes from a Japanese basket-weaving technique that looks very similar to the tube design. These structures resemble a chain link fence that was rolled up into a small tube.

Notably, both the inner and outer layers share in the task of absorbing and redirecting load, stress, and vibrations. Notably, these designs connect the inner and outer layers of the structure.

Problems with Today’s Maxwell Lattices

Topological Maxwell Lattices offer many advantages, but they still lack in some categories. For one, they can’t support themselves. These structures make them ideal for asymmetrically localizing low-energy transfers, but they are unstable and fragile, limiting their use case scenarios.

Additionally, they are costly to create, requiring advanced manufacturing techniques specifically designed for their construction. In many instances, these shapes are made on a nanoscale, requiring purpose-built manufacturing devices and strategies.

3D Printed Vibration Elimination Study

The study Topological polarization of kagome tubes and applications toward vibration isolation¹, published in APS Physical Review Applied this month, introduces a novel method to create durable kagome tubes that are capable of self-support. The study combines advanced physics, new-age manufacturing strategies, and computer structural modeling techniques to accomplish the task.

Source – James McInerney, Air Force Research Laboratory

This work is seen as a milestone in the industry because it incorporates decades of advancements across several sectors, including theory and computer modeling, to improve vibration-damping capabilities. The new approach utilized 3D printers to duplicate and improve on some of nature’s most effective structures. Additionally, it enables the use of a wide variety of materials, including polymers, metals, and other next-generation composites.

3D-Printed Metamaterials

The engineers leverage the capabilities of today’s advanced 3D printers to enable more control and precision when designing structures. Notably, they were able to use already existing materials, specifically nylon, to achieve their design. This strategy reduces costs and demonstrates the intricate patterns that today’s 3D printers are capable of reproducing.

These designs are capable of capturing, dispersing, transferring, and reducing vibrations using their geometry alone. This capability comes from the shape and the way in which the edges interact during vibrations. They redirect the energy into a cycle that keeps the energy dispersed within the shape rather than sending it to the next part, making these structures ideal for vibration isolation.

3D Printed Vibration Elimination Study Test

The engineers tested several complex designs before they settled on the kagome tubes design. As part of the testing, they began by modeling specifics using computer simulations and troves of data collected over years of topology research.

They noted that they needed to add rigid connectors to the end of the kagome tubes to provide the necessary structural support for operation as standalone units. From there, they applied vibrations to the structures and monitored the effects using finite-element methods.

This strategy enabled them to transform the structure’s displacement transmissibility into a frequency function. This was a vital step that enabled engineers to utilize computer modeling software to test designs prior to printing with high accuracy. From there, they documented their new designs’ stiffness under several load conditions.

3D Printed Vibration Elimination Study Test Results

Their test revealed some interesting facts about their work. For one, it uniquely demonstrates how these structures are capable of reducing vibrations without any additional support. The structure was able to capture and isolate the vibrations utilizing a topological polarization of the lattice.

Interestingly, their work also revealed some areas where the team will need to continue researching if they intend to bring these units to the market. For example, it showed that there is a direct correlation between vibration suppression and structural integrity. They also noted that the better the unit could reduce vibrations, the weaker its load-bearing capabilities.
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3D Printed Vibration Elimination Study Benefits

There are many benefits to this work. For one, it opens the door for a new era in lightweight, low-cost electronics that utilize this technology to protect sensitive components. Since this strategy relies on 3D printers rather than customized production methods, it’s more accessible to the masses than chemistry-based science approaches.

Scalability

Another significant benefit of this work is that it provides a completely scalable approach to vibration isolation. The data obtained from this study could help create more advanced nanostructures, potentially leading to the development of more robust skyscrapers.

Added Resilience

Another noticeable benefit is the added rigidity that the 3D printing approach brings to these structures. Being able to simulate and then directly print out prototypes reduces the testing phase for these designs and opens the door for large-scale adoption.

Flexibility

Engineers will be able to create more compact and specifically designed structures using this approach. As such, the use of 3D printers opens the door to form-fitting vibration-damping systems that meld directly into the device rather than being added later. When combined with advancements in multi-material printing, it’s possible to see this strategy used to create high-end electronic devices in a single print session.

3D Printed Vibration Elimination Study: Real-World Applications & Timeline:

This work has the potential to reshape structural design, opening the door for more advanced technologies, lighter alternatives, and mechanically functional dwellings. Many different sectors could benefit greatly from the work in this study. Here are some of the best examples:

Transportation

The transportation industry could utilize this technology to create more durable and lightweight vehicles. These units could replace solid steel structures with Maxwell Lattices to reduce weight and improve performance. Additionally, this approach would reduce the material needed to create vehicles.

Construction

The same benefits could make this work a game-changer for the construction industry. Builders have been seeking out better alternatives to the status quo, and this work could help to reduce material costs while improving structural integrity. Best of all, the recent unveiling of 3D printers capable of building entire neighborhoods could mean that this technology finds immediate use in the industry.

Medical

The same structure that could make your future home or office building more stable could also accomplish similar tasks inside of you. For decades, healthcare professionals have struggled to recreate specific elements of the body. Artificial veins and arteries are prime examples of an area in which the use of Kagome tubes could provide the added support needed to drive the technology forward.

Aerospace

Future aircraft and space travelers will rely on this technology to reduce weight and improve the ruggedness of their crafts. The lightweight printable designs will provide added support while reducing weight across the board. Best of all, engineers can utilize computer simulations to optimize their designs prior to ever printing any prototypes, saving money and time.

Timeline

It could be 5-7 years before this technology makes its way into everyday products. There is strong demand for lightweight, durable components, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. The team still needs to research other materials, compositions, and structures as part of their work.

3D Printed Vibration Elimination Study Researchers

The 3D-printed vibration elimination study was put forth by engineers from the University of Michigan and AFRL. Specifically, the paper lists James P. McInerney, Othman Oudghiri-Idrissi, Carson L. Willey, Serife Tol, Xiaoming Mao, and Abigail Juhl as contributors.

Notably, the study secured partial funding from several government agencies, including the  Office of Naval Research, DARPA, and the U.S. National Research Council Research Associateship Program. Additionally, the team received administrative support from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

3D Printed Vibration Elimination Study Future

The future of this technology is bright. The engineers will continue to work on improving the weight-to-strength balance. They intend to do this through a combination of factors, including researching more complex geometries alongside developing special materials designed to support the task. Keenly, the engineers state that they don’t want to replace steel or plastics. Rather, they seek to utilize them in an optimized manner.

Investing in 3D Printing

Many companies provide vibration-damping and isolation services to the market. These firms are a critical part of the manufacturing process for several industries, including the electronics, military, medical, and construction sectors. Here’s one firm that continually demonstrates a commitment to innovation.

3M

3M entered the market in 1902 as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company. The company originally launched operations in Two Harbors, Minnesota, before moving to Duluth in 1905 and then to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1910. The firm’s founders, Dr. J. Danley Budd, Henry S. Bryan, William A. McGonagle, John Dwan, and Hermon W. Cable, envisioned it as a supporting entity to the mining industry.

However, they achieved much more as their company expanded from simply working on sandpaper supplies into nearly all industries. Impressively, 3M boasts a long list of accomplishments, including the invention of scotch tape in 1925, highway sign reflector material in 1939, and Post-it notes in 1980.

Beyond its long history of material science innovation, 3M has become an active player in the additive manufacturing space. The company has developed 3D printing processes for fully fluorinated polymers such as PTFE, enabling lightweight, heat-resistant components used in aerospace and industrial applications. It has also introduced 3D-printed grinding wheels and custom production services for high-precision manufacturing. While 3M does not manufacture printers itself, its leadership in printable materials and process optimization positions it as a strategic supplier within the growing 3D printing ecosystem—one that investors continue to watch as additive manufacturing scales across industries.