System, method, and computer program for creating united cellular lattice structure

A method of generating a computer-based united cellular lattice structure comprising the steps of:

• generating data representative of a part volume;
• decomposing the part volume into a plurality of subvolumes, each subvolume having a plurality of sides such that the subvolume is configured to be positioned adjacent to at least one other subvolume, the plurality of sides including at least one of an adjoining side and a non-adjoining side, the subvolume having a side combination corresponding to a number and orientation of adjoining sides and non-adjoining sides;
• generating data representative of a base lattice cell having a plurality of surfaces, some of the surfaces being face surfaces corresponding to faces of the base lattice cell, the base lattice cell being created during a pre-processing phase;
• generating data representative of a modified lattice cell from the base lattice cell for each side combination of the subvolumes such that each modified lattice cell has face surfaces on faces thereof corresponding to non-adjoining sides and does not have face surfaces on faces thereof corresponding to adjoining sides, the modified lattice cells being generated during the pre-processing phase;
• generating data representative of copies of the modified lattice cells, the modified lattice cell copies being generated during the pre-processing phase;
• and
• inserting the copies of the modified lattice cells into corresponding subvolumes such that the faces of the modified lattice cell copies having face surfaces are positioned along non-adjoining sides of the subvolumes and the faces of the modified lattice cell copies not having face surfaces are positioned along adjoining sides of the subvolumes, modified lattice cell copies being inserted into the corresponding subvolumes during a processing phase.

A system for creating a part based on a united cellular lattice structure, the system comprising:

• a computer modeling system comprising:
• a processor configured to:
• receive data representative of a plurality of subvolumes formed from a part volume, each subvolume having a plurality of sides such that the subvolume is configured to be positioned adjacent to at least one other subvolume, the plurality of sides including at least one of an adjoining side and a non-adjoining side, the subvolume having a side combination corresponding to a number and orientation of adjoining sides and non-adjoining sides;
• receive data representative of a base lattice cell having a plurality of surfaces, some of the surfaces being face surfaces corresponding to faces of the base lattice cell;
• generate data representative of a modified lattice cell from the base lattice cell for each side combination of the subvolumes such that each modified lattice cell has face surfaces on faces thereof corresponding to non-adjoining sides and does not have face surfaces on faces thereof corresponding to adjoining sides;
• generate data representative of copies of the modified lattice cells;
• and
• insert the copies of the modified lattice cells into corresponding subvolumes such that the faces of the modified lattice cell copies having face surfaces are positioned along non-adjoining sides of the subvolumes and the faces of the modified lattice cell copies not having face surfaces are positioned along adjoining sides of the subvolumes;
• a non-transitory computer readable memory configured to store the data representative of the base lattice cell, the subvolumes, the modified lattice cells, and the modified lattice cell copies thereon;
• a plurality of inputs for receiving inputs from a user;
• and
• a display configured to visually produce the base lattice cell, the subvolumes, the modified lattice cells, and the modified lattice cell copies for allowing the user to inspect and modify the united cellular lattice structure;
• and
• an additive manufacturing system configured to form the part via additive manufacturing material deposited layer by layer according to the united cellular lattice structure.