Production of biomimetic structures using Voronoi tessellation and 3D printing technology: possibilities and practical issues

Abstract

This paper discusses the development of a new algorithm for determining the internal tissue density of structural members using the finite element method and Voronoi tessellation. The study aimed to reduce the density of structural elements while maintaining their original purpose by filling the interior of the members with interconnected strut members to replicate the structure of animal bones. The strut members were created using the edges of Voronoi cells, and stress was used as an additional variable during the Voronoi iteration to prevent stress concentration on the strut members. The proposed approach resulted in a more uniform stress distribution in the strut member than when Lloyd's algorithm was used. However, perfect uniformity was not achieved due to certain factors, and several issues were identified during the 3D printing process. These findings will refine the proposed algorithm to achieve perfect uniformity of stress distribution in the following steps. The approach presented in this study offers unprecedented opportunities for modern engineering to create structural members that are equally resistant to internal stresses as observed in animal bones.