Additive Manufacturing

Veryst Engineering helps clients realize high-performance additively manufactured parts.  Our strong foundational knowledge in materials science and mechanics coupled with practical expertise in experimental methods and engineering software make us uniquely qualified to solve complex additive manufacturing (AM) challenges.
 

Materials Characterization

Additive manufacturing processes can introduce numerous microstructural features such as porosity, internal interfaces, or variations in crystallinity into a material that can strongly influence mechanical response and failure.  Veryst engineers have expertise in characterizing the microstructure of additively manufactured materials to help clients improve processing parameters and understand material properties.

SLS micrograph
Microstructure of a polymer made with selective laser sintering (SLS)


Mechanical Testing

Additively manufactured materials can exhibit complex mechanical behavior.  Issues such as anisotropy, size effects, and nonlinear response must be measured experimentally.  Veryst offers mechanical testing services focused on getting the data our clients need to make smart engineering decisions.  Our testing lab is equipped with both commercial and custom-built test systems to conduct experiments over a wide range of loading rates, loading types, and environmental conditions.

Stress-strain curves
Stress-strain curves


Material Modeling for Finite Element Simulations

Finite element analysis (FEA) of additively manufactured components can be a challenge due to the complexity of the material behavior and uncertainty about part geometry.  Veryst engineers are expert in finite element analysis of nonlinear materials and structures.  We use all major commercial FEA packages and select the one most appropriate for any given problem.

Rate-Sensitive Material Model for PEEK
Rate-sensitive material model for polyether ether ketone (PEEK)


Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis

Finite element analysis of additively manufactured components can be a challenge due to the complexity of the material behavior and uncertainty about part geometry.  Veryst engineers are expert in finite element analysis of nonlinear materials and structures.  We use all major commercial FEA packages and select the one most appropriate for any given problem.

Nonlinear FEA of AM Beam with Anisotropic Material Model
Nonlinear FEA of AM beam with anisotropic material model


Topology Optimization

Additive manufacturing offers engineers the opportunity to fabricate virtually any shape.  Topology optimization is a computational tool that helps engineers efficiently explore the design space they are working in and find solutions.  Veryst Engineering uses the latest topology optimization software to help create innovative, additively manufacturable design concepts.

Software-optimized structure
Software-optimized structure


Lattice and Cellular Structure Design

Additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of lattice and cellular structures which can provide exceptional performance in areas such as energy absorption or stiffness-to-weight ratio.  However, the mechanics of lattice structures are highly complex and designing these structures is not easy.  Veryst has expertise in the design and analysis of lattice structures for a wide range of end-use applications using both commercial and custom in-house software to identify optimized structures.

Sandwiched Lattice Structure and Gyroid Unit Cell
Sandwiched lattice structure and gyroid unit cell


Failure and Root Cause Analysis

Root cause analysis is needed when additively manufactured parts fail unexpectedly during development or in service.  Veryst engineers have decades of experience analyzing part failures and rely upon our broad expertise in experimental and computational methods to evaluate different failure modes such as fatigue, fracture, overload, and material deficiency.

Failed AM Part Showing Stress Analysis and Fracture Surface
Failed AM part showing stress analysis and fracture surface

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Anisotropy of 3D-Printed Polymers

Many additively manufactured polymers exhibit anisotropic mechanical properties which must be accounted for by engineers designing with these materials. This case study illustrates the importance of testing additively manufactured polymers at many orientations to identify the range of isotropic behavior as well as the optimal build orientation.

Additively Manufactured Lattices

Additive manufacturing (AM) enables the production of complex lattice structures that cannot feasibly or economically be manufactured any other way. However, there are complicating factors that engineers are likely to confront when designing fine AM lattice structures: geometric inaccuracy and anisotropic material properties.

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