The triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) method is a novel approach for lattice design in a range of fields, such as impact protection and structural lightweighting. In this paper, we used the TPMS formula to rapidly and accurately generate the most common lattice structure, named the body centered cubic (BCC) structure, with certain volume fractions. TPMS-based and computer aided design (CAD) based BCC lattice structures with volume fractions in the range of 10–30% were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) technology with Ti–6Al–4V and subjected to compressive tests. The results demonstrated that local geometric features changed the volume and stress distributions, revealing that the TPMS-based samples were superior to the CAD-based ones, with elastic modulus, yield strength and compression strength increasing in the ranges of 18.9–42.2%, 19.2–29.5%, and 2–36.6%, respectively. The failure mechanism of the TPMS-based samples with a high volume fraction changed to brittle failure observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), as their struts were more affected by the axial force and fractured on struts. It was also found that the TPMS-based samples have a favorable capacity to absorb energy, particularly with a 30% volume fraction, the energy absorbed up to 50% strain was approximately three times higher than that of the CAD-based sample with an equal volume fraction. Furthermore, the theoretic Gibson–Ashby mode was established in order to predict and design the mechanical properties of the lattice structures. In summary, these results can be used to rapidly create BCC lattice structures with superior compressive properties for engineering applications.

Developments in selective laser melting (SLM) have enabled the fabrication of periodic cellular lattice structures characterized by suitable properties matching the bone tissue well and by fluid permeability from interconnected structures. These multifunctional performances are significantly affected by cell topology and constitutive properties of applied materials. In this respect, a diamond unit cell was designed in particular volume fractions corresponding to the host bone tissue and optimized with a smooth surface at nodes leading to fewer stress concentrations. There were 33 porous titanium samples with different volume fractions, from 1.28 to 18.6%, manufactured using SLM. All of them were performed under compressive load to determine the deformation and failure mechanisms, accompanied by an in-situ approach using digital image correlation (DIC) to reveal stress–strain evolution. The results showed that lattice structures manufactured by SLM exhibited comparable properties to those of trabecular bone, avoiding the effects of stress-shielding and increasing longevity of implants. The curvature of optimized surface can play a role in regulating the relationship between density and mechanical properties. Owing to the release of stress concentration from optimized surface, the failure mechanism of porous titanium has been changed from the pattern of bottom-up collapse by layer (or cell row) to that of the diagonal (45°) shear band, resulting in the significant enhancement of the structural strength.

Porous scaffolds with graded open porosity combining a morphology similar to that of bone with mechanical and biological properties are becoming an attractive candidate for bone grafts. In this work, scaffolds with a continuous cell-size gradient were studied from the aspects of pore properties, mechanical properties and bio-functional properties. Using a mathematical method named triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), uniform and graded scaffolds with Gyroid and Diamond units were manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM) with Ti-6Al-4V, followed by micro-computer tomography (CT) reconstruction, mechanical testing and in vitro evaluation. It was found that gradient scaffolds were preferably replicated by SLM with continuous graded changes in surface area and pore size, but their pore size should be designed to be ≥ 450 μm to ensure good interconnectivity. Both the Gyroid and Diamond structures have superior strength compared to cancellous bones, and their elastic modulus is comparable to the bones. In comparison, Gyroid exhibits better performances than Diamond in terms of the elastic modulus, ultimate strength and ductility. In vitro cell culture experiments show that the gradients provide an ideal growth environment for osteoblast growth in which cells survive well and distribute uniformly due to biocompatibility of the Ti-6Al-4V material, interconnectivity and suitable pore size.

Purpose: Surface roughness is an important evaluation index for industrial components, and it strongly depends on the processing parameters for selective laser molten Ti6Al4V parts. This paper aims to obtain an optimum selective laser melting (SLM) parameter set to improve the surface roughness of Ti6Al4V samples.Design/methodology/approach: A response surface methodology (RSM)-based approach is proposed to improve the surface quality of selective laser molten Ti6Al4V parts and understand the relationship between the SLM process parameters and the surface roughness. The main SLM parameters (i.e. laser power, scan speed and hatch spacing) are optimized, and Ti6Al4V parts are manufactured by the SLM technology with no post processes.Findings: Optimum process parameters were obtained using the RSM method to minimise the roughness of the top and vertical side surfaces. Obtained parameter sets were evaluated based on their productivity and surface quality performance. The validation tests have been performed, and the results verified the effectivity of the proposed technique. It was also shown that the top and vertical sides must be handled together to obtain better top surface quality.Practical implications: The obtained optimum SLM parameter set can be used in the manufacturing of Ti6Al4V components with high surface roughness requirement.Originality/value: RSM is used to analyse and determine the optimal combination of SLM parameters with the aim of improving the surface roughness quality of Ti6Al4V components, for the first time in the literature. Also, this is the first study which aims to simultaneously optimise the surface quality of top and vertical sides of titanium alloys.