Stiffening and/or strengthening a structural member using a pre-made microtruss insert

A method for fabricating a micro-truss structure for a vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a thin support enclosure including a plurality of walls where at least one of the walls is transparent to ultraviolet (UV) light;
• filling the support enclosure with a liquid photomonomer resin;
• directing light from at least one UV source though apertures in a mask and through the at least one transparent wall into the support enclosure so as to polymerize and partially cure the resin therein to form polymerized struts defining a micro-truss core in the support enclosure secured to the walls;
• draining uncured liquid resin from the support enclosure after the micro-truss core has been partially cured;
• providing an outer structural enclosure;
• inserting the support enclosure into the structural enclosure and securing it thereto;
• and
• fully curing the micro-truss core after the support enclosure is inserted into the structural enclosure.

A method for fabricating a micro-truss structure for a vehicle, said method comprising:

• providing a thin support enclosure including a plurality of walls where at least one of the walls is transparent to ultraviolet (UV) light;
• filling the support enclosure with a liquid photomonomer resin;
• directing light from at least one UV source though apertures in a mask and through the at least one transparent wall into the support enclosure so as to polymerize and partially cure the resin therein to form polymerized struts defining a micro-truss core in the support enclosure secured to the walls;
• draining uncured liquid resin from the support enclosure after the micro-truss core has been partially cured;
• fully curing the micro-trust core;
• heating the support enclosure and the micro-truss core to a temperature that the support enclosure and the micro-truss core become bendable and pliable, but are not damaged;
• providing an outer structural enclosure;
• inserting the heated support enclosure into the structural enclosure and securing it thereto;
• and
• allowing the support enclosure and the micro-truss core to cool and become rigid.