Polymer Micro-Lattice buffer structure Free Impact absorption

TL;DR

This paper investigates the design and testing of polymer micro-lattice structures with various geometries to enhance impact resistance and energy absorption in lightweight uncrewed aerial systems, aiming to improve safety and durability.

Contribution

It introduces specific micro-lattice geometries and evaluates their impact resistance and energy absorption properties through experimental testing, providing new insights for UAS structural design.

Findings

Diamond and Kelvin patterns effectively distribute load and absorb energy.

Flexible materials outperform rigid ones in impact energy dissipation.

Micro-lattice geometry significantly influences impact resistance and energy absorption.

Abstract

The uncrewed aerial systems industry is rapidly expanding due to advancements in smaller electronics, smarter sensors, advanced flight controllers, and embedded perception modules leveraging artificial intelligence. These technological progress have opened new indoor applications for UAS, including warehouse inventory management, security inspections of public spaces and facilities, and underground exploration. Despite the innovative designs from UAS manufacturers, there are no existing standards to ensure UAS and human safety in these environments. This study explores developing and evaluating micro-lattice structures for impact resistance in lightweight UAS. We examine patch designs using Face-Centered Cubic (FCC), Diamond (D), Kelvin (K), and Gyroid (GY) patterns and detail the processes for creating samples for impact and compression tests, including manufacturing and testing protocols. Our evaluation includes compression and impact tests to assess structural behavior, revealing the influence of geometry, compactness, and material properties. Diamond and Kelvin patterns were particularly effective in load distribution and energy absorption over the compression tests. Impact tests demonstrated significant differences in response between flexible and rigid materials, with flexible patches exhibiting superior energy dissipation and structural integrity under dynamic loading. The study provides a detailed analysis of specific energy absorption (SEA) and efficiency, offering insights into optimal micro-lattice structure designs for impact resistance in lightweight UAS applications.