Lattice Guide Ebook 01.24.2022

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Lattice Design

Handbook
The Complete Guide to Creating High-Performance Products with Lattices

Updated 01.24.2022
© 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents Overview 1 5.3 Choosing Strut Diameter: Direct Relationship 18
Introduction 2 5.4 Choosing Cell Size: Inverse Relationship 19
Part Geometry 20
1: Carbon Design Engine™ 3 Small Feature Sizes 21
1.1 What is Carbon Design Engine? 3 Resin Feature Size Recommendations 21
1.2 Why Carbon Design Engine? 4 Performance 21
2: Benefits of a Lattice 5 Weight 22
2.1 Lattice Application Potential 6 Conformity 23
Energy Return and Support 6 Pattern 23
Energy Absorption and Impact 6 Post-Processing Considerations 23
Comfort and Fatigue Control 6 6: Additional Lattice Design Features 24
Functional and Flexible 7 6.1 Offset (Pro) 24
Thermal Management 7 6.2 Multi-Zones (Pro) 25
Lightweighting 7 6.3 Apply Feature Edges (Pro) 27
Aesthetics 7 6.4 Apply a Base 27
3: Key Design Software Considerations for 8 6.5 Trim 28
Real-World Lattices 6.6 Boundary Strut Diameter (Pro) 29
3.1 Conformality 8 6.7 Enable Symmetry 29
3.2 Customizable Performance via Inverse Design 9 6.8 Enable Isotropy 29
3.3 Functional, Multi-zonal Lattices 9 6.9 Surface Tolerance (Pro) 29
3.4 Cloud Processing 9 6.10 Sides Per Strut (Pro) 30
6.11 Combine and Boolean Geometry Ops 30
4: Understanding Lattice Parameters 10
7: Lattice File Preparation 31
4.1 Material 10
4.2 Lattice Type or Pattern 10 Conclusion: The Infinite Capabilities of Lattices 32
4.3 Strut Diameter 11
4.4 Cell Size 11
5: Selecting Optimal Lattice Parameters For Your 12
Part
5.1 Choosing Material: Resin Selection 13
5.2 Choosing Lattice Type: Pattern Selection 17

Lattice Design Handbook © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Overview
This handbook is your complete guide to creating high-performance lattices for next-
generation products. The goal of this guide is to introduce key lattice concepts, help
you understand where and when lattices make sense, and then give you a framework for
preparing ideal lattices for your application with lattice design software. Additionally, you
will learn the following:
• Benefits of using a lattice in your part or product
• Lattice application areas
• Key considerations when choosing a lattice design software
• Lattice parameters and how to choose those parameters
• Additional design options for your lattice
• How to prepare your lattice CAD file for printing
• Post-processing guidelines for your latticed part

By the end, you will be able to design the best lattice parts for your product so you can take
your product development to the next level.

If you are interested in experiencing lattice parts designed with Carbon Design Engine™
software and printed with the Carbon Digital Light Synthesis™ (Carbon DLS™ process),
request sample parts by reaching out to us at [email protected].

Lattice Design Handbook 1 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Introduction Lattices are the killer application for 3D printing. Why? Because lattices, when paired with
high-quality materials, allow designers to specify the characteristics required for their
Lattices are the future of products at every millimeter, bringing new heights of performance and customization
within reach.
product development.
However, to unlock the vast potential for lattice-driven design in 3D printing across
different industries, designers and engineers need access to better design tools and lattice
design education to stimulate more widespread adoption of the approach.

At Carbon, we believe that lattice-generation software should 1) make it easy for engineers
to tap into the full potential of unmoldable lattice geometries enabled by 3D printing, and 2)
eliminate the extra time and effort required by existing solutions. As experts in lattices, we
look forward to sharing our lattice-design best practices and key software considerations
“Traditional CAD tools have not kept pace with the innovation of 3D that we believe should be readily available to all product designers and engineers.
printers and materials. This lack of progression limits the ‘idea to design’
stage of the product development lifecycle… On average, it can take 18–24
months to bring a consumer product to market. But when we put the best
design tools, 3D printers, and materials in the hands of designers and
manufacturers, we’ve seen our customers accelerate the development
of innovative new products—going from idea to finished designs to
production in less time.”

PHIL DESIMONE, Chief Product and Business Development Officer,


Carbon

Lattice Design Handbook 2 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


1: Carbon Design Engine™

The concepts in this guide are general and apply to most software packages that can
generate lattices, but they're written with Carbon Design Engine in mind.

1.1 What is Carbon Design Engine?


Carbon Design Engine is a cloud-based lattice design generator that automates the process
of creating conformal, multi-zone lattices, saving engineers significant time and effort in
designing breakthrough products.

Lattice Design Handbook 3 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


1.2 Why Carbon Design Engine?

Go from Idea to Functional No More Create Performance- Already Proven in


Lattice in Hours Tedious Tuning Oriented Lattice Parts Production

With Design Engine’s powerful cloud- Designing lattices can require tedious, Before you click generate, Design Engine Carbon Design Engine is a core lattice-
based computation, you can generate manual work that is prone to errors saves you time and helps you tune your design technology used in real-world,
advanced conformal lattices in minutes. that can significantly impact part design by accurately predicting material production parts today. Offering deep
Pair Design Engine with Carbon’s 3D performance. Carbon Design Engine savings and mechanical responses as you integration with Carbon’s best-in-class
printers and you’ll go from idea to printed automatically resolves lattice features, experiment with different lattice designs. materials and reliable, consistent 3D
part in just a few hours. both large and small, and cuts down printing platform, Design Engine makes
on development time by accurately producing end-use lattices simple.
predicting mechanical performance
when lattices are printed with Carbon’s
industry-leading materials.

Do you have a project that would benefit from a high-performance conformal lattice? We
can give you a demo of Carbon Design Engine or help you find a Carbon Production Net- Request a Demo Get Your Part Latticed
work partner that can work with you to develop your design.

Lattice Design Handbook 4 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


2: Benefits of a Lattice Lattices turn materials into programmable building blocks that can be performance tuned
to deliver exactly the characteristics you require at every millimeter. Unlike conventional
foams and fillers that deliver the same characteristics everywhere across a volume,
lattices can vary in density and shape throughout a single part to deliver different
characteristics in different zones. They can even be tuned to have different responses to
forces in different directions.

Additionally, lattices cannot be manufactured with legacy manufacturing processes like


injection molding and machining. Products with lattices are immediately distinctive: a lattice
communicates attention to quality, precision, and a forward-looking approach to technology.

Non-latticed bike saddle Latticed bike saddle

Lattice Design Handbook 5 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


2.1 Lattice Application Potential
Where and when do lattices make sense? The examples below represent a range of
performance applications for lattices.

Energy Return and Support Energy Absorption and Impact Comfort and Fatigue Control
adidas 4DFWD, Futurecraft 4D, and Riddell® Speedflex Diamond Helmet Specialized S-Works Power Saddle
AlphaEdge 4D

Printed midsoles on high performance running shoes created 3D-printed protective padding in professional football helmets Multi-zone lattices on bike saddles developed with pressure
with adidas' proprietary lattice design. uses multi-zone lattices to control impact forces. mapping data for optimal comfort zones.

Lattice Design Handbook 6 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


2.1 Lattice Application Potential (Cont.)
Where and when do lattices make sense? The examples below represent a range of
performance applications for lattices.

Functional and Flexible Thermal Management Lightweighting Aesthetics


Resolution Medical Lattice Swab JINS Neuron 4D Eyewear

3D-printed COVID-19 testing swabs with a single-zone lattice, Unlike foam, which can retain heat and become Printed lattice designs can reduce overall mass and Lattice temple cushions that are flexible,
developed in just 20 days. The lattice is merged with a solid uncomfortable, elastomer lattices are breathable by material cost. breathable, and comfortable––preventing slippage
handle and is printed in KeySplint Soft® Clear. means of natural air circulation, which can be especially during active movements and adding a unique
powerful in athletic applications. design aesthetic.

Lattice Design Handbook 7 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


3: Key Design Software What’s needed in a real-world lattice? To achieve design goals and deliver a great product,
you will need to start with capable lattice design software. When selecting lattice design
Considerations for software or a process to help you create real-world lattices, look for these key attributes:
1) conformality, 2) customizable lattice performance, 3) multi-zone lattices with smooth
Real-World Lattices transitions, and 4) cloud processing.

3.1 Conformality
Non-Conformal Conformal
With traditional design software, structural and performance breakdown is a common A conformal lattice fully adapts to its assigned shape along its outer surfaces and edges,
problem with lattices. The structure of the lattice is usually cropped at the edges and filling every curve without breaking structural integrity. Some lattice design software
surface of the design space, breaking the integrity of the structure. will generate non-conformal lattices and allow you to adjust them manually to become
conformal, but this is a tedious, error-prone manual process.

Lattice Design Handbook 8 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


3.2 Customizable Performance via Inverse Design 3.3 Functional, Multi-Zonal Lattices
Tuning a lattice to achieve desired performance is often a process of trial and error. A zone is an area of a lattice with a single lattice type, cell size, and strut diameter. Single-
Lattice design software with inverse design capability allows engineers to start by zone lattices are best when performance needs are simple, such as creating a basic
specifying the mechanical performance required at any set of locations on their part, then cushion or lightweighting a part that doesn’t have stringent mechanical requirements.
generates a lattice that meets those requirements. More demanding applications can require a lattice with many zones that seamlessly blend
together to achieve a precise mechanical response.

3.4 Cloud Processing


Producing a complex lattice structure is computationally demanding and requires a lot of
processing power. Cloud-based lattice design software can run fast and save you the need
to buy an expensive, high-performance computer. Look for cloud-based design software
that offers encryption and security features.

Lattice Design Handbook 9 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


4: Understanding The four main lattice parameters are 1) material, 2) lattice type or pattern, 3) strut diameter,
and 4) cell size.
Lattice Parameters 4.1 Material
Every material has its own characteristics that will influence the performance of a lattice.

4.2 Lattice Type or Pattern


A lattice type is the three-dimensional structure, or pattern, of the lattice. Like the material,
each pattern has its own characteristics that will influence the performance of a lattice.
Following are five common lattice types.

Tetrahedral Voronoi Rhombic Kagome Icosahedral

Each lattice type has two patterns that may visually emerge on the surface. The difference
in the patterns is a result of where the lattice is in its 3-dimensional structure upon reaching
the boundaries of the design space.

Lattice Design Handbook 10 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Primary pattern vs. secondary patterns 4.3 Strut Diameter
Any additional variation you see in the pattern is due to either transitioning between the The strut diameter is the diameter of the printed material—each printed strut—that builds
primary and secondary pattern or from the conformal nature of the lattice. For example, the structure of the lattice.
on the tetrahedral lattice pictured below, note how the top of the part manifests the
primary pattern while the sides reveal the secondary pattern.

4.4 Cell Size


Cell size is the diameter of the cells that define the negative space of the lattice structure.

Lattice Design Handbook 11 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


5: Selecting Optimal Lattice Choosing your lattice parameters provides a vast array of options for the performance of
your lattice. The relationships between these variables is simple.
Parameters For Your Part Energy Return and Impact
Two variables influence the energy return or impact of a lattice, which determines how
absorptive or springy the lattice performs: material and lattice type.

Compressive Strain
Two dimensional variables affect the compressive strain of a lattice, which affects how
compressible or stiff the lattice performs: strut diameter and cell size.

Lattice Design Handbook 12 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


5.1 Choosing Material: Resin Selection
Each material has a unique stress-strain curve that will influence the performance of a
part. When combined with a lattice type, you will get a hybridized stress-strain curve,
combining the performance characteristics of both material and lattice.

EPU 40 EPU 41

Lattice Design Handbook 13 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


5.1 Choosing Material: Resin Selection (Cont.)

RPU 70 RPU 130

Lattice Design Handbook 14 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


5.1 Choosing Material: Resin Selection (Cont.)

EPX 82 CE 221

Lattice Design Handbook 15 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


The following is a summary of the most common Carbon materials to use as a reference
for material selection for your lattice.

Carbon
EPU 40 EPU 41 CE 221 EPX 82 RPU 70 RPU 130
Materials

Polymer Elastomeric Elastomeric Cyanate Ester Epoxy Rigid Rigid


Type Polyurethane Polyurethane Polyurethane Polyurethane

Energy/ Energy Energy Low Impact Moderate Low Impact High Impact
Impact Absorption Return Impact

Stiffness Compressible Compressible High Stiff Low


Stiffness Stiffness

Cold High Heat


Temperature Temperature Thermal Heat Heat
Performance Stability Resistance Resistance

Technical TDS TDS TDS TDS TDS TDS


Data Sheet

Lattice Design Handbook 16 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


PRIMARY PATTERN SECONDARY PATTERN
5.2 Choosing Lattice Type: Pattern Selection
TETRAHEDRAL
Buckling Response
Each lattice type has distinguishing characteristics in performance that can guide
Comfort cushioning
selection. The structure of each lattice type influences how it performs. However, there is Static conditions
no right or wrong answer in selection because you can tweak other parameters or select a
different material to achieve a different response from the same lattice type. For example,
if the aesthetics of a Voronoi lattice are desired, but you also want energy absorption, then
RHOMBIC
you can choose an elastomer like EPU 40. Energy Absortion
Impact

KAGOME
Linear Response
Consistent response to strain
Lightweighting (high stiffness to mass ratio)

VORONOI
Energy Return
Springy cushioning
Stress distribution

Additionally, each lattice type has a unique stress-strain curve that will influence ICOSAHEDRAL
the performance of a part. When combined with a material, Carbon Design Engine Foam-like Response
Response plateaus after initial strain (like foam)
software will generate a hybridized stress-strain curve, demonstrating the performance
Lightweighting (high stiffness to mass ratio)
characteristics of both material and lattice.

Lattice Design Handbook 17 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


5.3 Choosing Strut Diameter: Direct Relationship Resin Minimum (mm) Default (mm) Maximum (mm)
We recommend starting with a 1.0-mm strut diameter if you do not know the resin you will
be printing with at the beginning of the design process. The following are recommended CE 221 0.5 1.0 3.0
strut diameters for the printability, durability, and post-processing of common Carbon
materials used in lattice production. DPR 10 0.4 0.8 3.0

EPU 40 0.65 1.0 3.0

EPU 41 0.65 1.0 3.0

EPX 82 0.4 0.8 3.0

FPU 50 0.4 0.8 3.0

MPU 100 0.4 0.8 3.0

PR 25 0.4 0.8 3.0

RPU 70 0.4 0.8 3.0

RPU 130 0.4 0.8 3.0

SIL 30 0.8 1.0 3.0

UMA 90 0.4 0.8 3.0

Lattice Design Handbook 18 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


5.4 Choosing Cell Size: Inverse Relationship
The best way to visualize the cell size suited for your application is with a simplified
relative comparison of the circular cell size with the pattern of the generated lattice.
The following are each of the lattice types with a circular overlay matching the cell size
diameter at key intersections of the constructed pattern.

Unlike strut diameter, where the resin largely dictates a range of recommended
dimensions, cell size selection will depend on several key factors:

• Overall part geometry

• Small feature sizes in the design space

• Resin feature size recommendations

• Desired performance

• Weight of the part

• Conformity to the design space

• Manifestation of lattice pattern

Lattice Design Handbook 19 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Part Geometry
Assessing the overall geometry of your part and using these rules of thumb are the best
starting points. Iterate from here with the remaining considerations for best results.

If your part does not have any distinct features: If your part has one dominating feature: If your part has multiple or variable feature
sizes/wall thicknesses:
• Main cell size: ~¾ of smallest XYZ dimensions • Min cell size: ~¾ of smallest feature
• Min cell size: ~¾ of smallest feature
• Min cell size: 1/1 of main cell size • Main cell size: up to 4x min
• Main cell size: 1x, 2x, 4x, or 8x min cell size,
whichever is closest to and below the max

Lattice Design Handbook 20 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Small Feature Sizes Resin Feature Size Recommendations
If the part geometry rules of thumb above did not yield desirable results with a small When you know the resin to be used, a good starting place for recommended cell size is:
feature in play, you can try a couple more approaches.
• Elastomer: 3.0 mm–8.0 mm
Small feature sizes in the design space may be ignored if the cell size is larger than the
• Rigid: 3.0 mm–15.0 mm
transitional space needed to conform to the boundaries.
Within that range, keep in mind general recommended feature sizes for the resin you are
using. As a rule of thumb, the default strut thickness recommended previously works well
for the middle of the preceding recommended cell size range. If you use a smaller strut
diameter, use a smaller cell size, and for larger strut diameters, a larger cell size.

For example: EPU 40 lattice

• Strut diameter = 1.0 mm (default strut thickness; same as the recommended


supported wall thickness for this resin)

• Cell size = 5.0 mm (mid cell size range)

Performance
Cell size has an inverse relationship with compressive strain.

• Large cell size = more compressible

• Small cell size = more stiff

Lattice Design Handbook 21 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Weight
Large cell sizes are generally desirable because the weight of the part is reduced when
less material is printed. An added bonus is reduction in cost when less material is needed.

Carbon Design Engine software offers an analyze cell feature that presents a volume
fraction graph to help you estimate the total weight of your part.

• Map your strut diameter (x-axis) and cell size (y-axis) on the graph to find the volume
percentage the lattice will use.

• Calculate the weight with the estimated volume and density of the material (available
on the technical data sheet).

10%–60% volume fraction is the recommended target zone.

• Less than 10% is prone to damage in printing or post-processing.

• Greater than 60% is difficult to wash and may be clogged with excess resin.

Lattice Design Handbook 22 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Conformity Pattern
Small cell sizes conform best to the shape of the design space, especially with organic If the primary or secondary pattern is desired for aesthetic reasons, adjusting the cell size
shapes. may yield what you are looking for.

Cell size selection in the Design Engine allows for choosing the main cell size, while also
selecting a min cell size, so that the surface can conform more closely to the boundaries
of the design space.

By selecting a min cell size (1/2, 1/4, or 1/8 of the main), you can keep the bulk of the
lattice less dense, but allow a tighter conformity at the surface.

Post-Processing Considerations
Design with post-processing in mind. If you experience problems removing uncured
material from the inside of your lattice, try a larger cell size.

Lattice Design Handbook 23 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


6: Additional Lattice Once you have uploaded your part design to your lattice design software and chosen your
lattice parameter inputs, you are ready to generate your lattice. Carbon Design Engine
Design Features offers additional, optional features to consider for your lattice.

6.1 Offset (Pro)


The Offset feature allows you to offset the surface of a boundary mesh directly in the
software at a specified distance. This gives you control over the placement of generated
struts relative to the boundary mesh surface. The following examples show a few options of
how the offset feature can be used.

Lattice Design Handbook 24 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


6.2 Multi-Zones (Pro)
Multi-zone lattices enable powerful control over the performance of
your lattice. Each lattice type has its own unique characteristics, but
you may want the lattice to serve multiple purposes.

For example, rhombic lattices absorb energy and serve well in high-
impact conditions. If a high-impact lattice is wearable, you may
also want a lattice type that performs well for comfort, such as
tetrahedral. Multi-zone lattices allow you to achieve both goals.

Furthermore, transition zones allow you to specify the transition


distance between lattice types. Large transition distances enable
the creation of hybrid lattices that merge the characteristics of two
lattice types. You are therefore not limited to just the lattice types
offered but also have every hybrid option available.

Lattice Design Handbook 25 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Steps to creating a multi-zone lattice:

1. Begin with a single design space. 3. Click generate.

Before defining separated zones, start by singularly defining the design space so your The zones transition past their boundaries to create the most efficient structure between
software can understand the external boundaries of the part to be latticed. This single differing lattice parameters. The results, therefore, do not have a sharp transition that may
design space will be the Boundary mesh. be expected when picturing each zone latticed separately.

2. Create part zones in CAD.

Break up the part into zones that require different performance specifications.

For example:
Zone 1 - a highly compressible area - large cell size
Zone 2 - a stiff, structural area - small cell size

Lattice Design Handbook 26 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


6.3 Apply Features Edges (Pro) 6.4 Apply a Base
Applying feature edges is an optional addition to any lattice that applies a strut to all To improve 3D-printing outcomes, you have the option to add a base to your lattice, in
sharp edges. Edges are measured as the angle between the normals of two adjacent which the lowest layer of struts is extruded downward to meet the build platform. This
triangles (STL mesh files consist of triangles on the surface of the model). Design Engine creates a flat surface on the base struts to ensure platform adhesion during printing. Use
will apply a feature edge where the angle between normals is 45 degrees or greater. this feature when you want to adhere your lattice directly to the platform.

Without a base, the platform-facing surface of the lattice just lightly touches the platform
at each strut, which will likely lead to under-adhesion. Applying a base extrudes the cross
section of the struts down to Z-zero.

Multi-zone parts with differing strut diameters can create an uneven surface that may be
intended to be flat. Applying a base can be an effective method to even out the surface.

Lattice Design Handbook 27 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


6.5 Trim
A lattice generation will build outward by 1/2 the strut diameter. The boundary mesh
(imported design space) is shown in orange, while the generated lattice is shown in green,
protruding from the boundary mesh by 1/2 the strut diameter.

The Trim feature removes all material outside the edges of the boundary mesh, leaving
half of the strut size. If the boundary mesh is a hard boundary, the trim feature provides
an option.

Lattice Design Handbook 28 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


6.6 Boundary Strut Diameter (Pro) 6.7 Enable Symmetry
This feature allows you to set the diameter for all surface struts, regardless of multi-zone The design space will often both functionally and aesthetically perform better when
parameters. symmetry is taken into account. Your lattice design software should allow you to choose a
symmetry option that works best for the design.
The picture on the left shows two different strut diameters: 0.5-mm struts in a perimeter
zone and 1.0-mm struts in a center zone. Now, the boundary strut diameter has been set ​​
With Design Engine, you can simply position your CAD model around the origin for optimal
to match the larger 1.0-mm diameter, shown in the picture on the right. options, enable symmetry, and generate your lattice––now with symmetry.

6.8 Enable Isotropy


Pattern uniformity on the surface may be desired for aesthetic reasons, so Design Engine
allows you to enable surface isotropy as an advanced option, with additional processing
time (approximately 5 minutes).

6.9 Surface Tolerance (Pro)


Adjusting the surface tolerance allows for fine tuning of the lattice pattern at the surface.
Surface tolerance is a function of cell size. The most effective values for surface tolerance
are 0.1–0.5 * main cell size (largest cell size), and the best results fall between 1 mm and 3
mm. The default surface tolerance is on the lower end.

The best surface tolerance results balance pattern uniformity at the surface with depth
Note: In the perimeter zone, the surface struts change while the of pattern.
interior struts remain unchanged at the smaller 0.5-mm diameter.

Lattice Design Handbook 29 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


6.10 Sides Per Strut (Pro) 6.11 Combine and Boolean Geometry Ops
Larger numbers of sides per strut yield a less faceted, rounder aesthetic to the lattice Design Engine offers Boolean operations to join, intersect, and differentiate bodies after
struts. The default lattice generates with 6 sides per strut. Valid inputs are between 3 and latticing, allowing you to create designs that combine latticed and non-latticed sections.
16 sides per strut. The effect of a larger number of sides per strut is a larger file size for
the downloaded lattice mesh. All files will vary in complexity.

Interested in learning more about Carbon Design Engine latticing capabilities?

Learn More

Lattice Design Handbook 30 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


7. Lattice File Preparation Carbon Design Engine requires solid models, or fully closed polysurfaces (if using a surface-
based CAD program). The lattice generation converts all positive space into a lattice.
Negative space is not considered. Export an STL file from your CAD software to import into
Design Engine. Once your lattice has been generated, you can download an STL file of the
lattice to use in most CAD and 3D-printing software.

Lattice Design Handbook 31 © 2022 Carbon, Inc. All rights reserved.


Conclusion At Carbon, we sometimes refer to the “infinite” capabilities of lattices. While not literally
infinite, our Carbon Design Engine software hosts so many lattice options for different
functions that we have yet to truly map the total number of unique structures (though we
estimate it’s about 1016).

What if you could unlock over a quadrillion new product design possibilities and then
produce your product immediately, with an optimized design that meets your exact
specifications before your first prototype? And then scale production into the thousands,
tens of thousands, or millions, depending on your needs?

That’s our vision at Carbon: give product creators in every industry the ability to unlock
high-performance designs that advance the state of their art. We hope Carbon’s latticing
knowledge and capabilities inspire you and provide a path forward for innovation in design,
rapid development, better product performance, and dependable production.

We look forward to making this possible and embarking on this lattice journey with you.

Interested in experiencing a real-world lattice produced with the Carbon DLS 3D printing Learn more about Carbon Design Engine latticing capabilities here.
process and Carbon Design Engine? Request a free sample part here.

Request Sample Part Learn More

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