Influence of infill design on mechanical behavior of PLA-TPU hybrid sandwich beams

The purpose of this work is to analyze the mechanical behavior of hybrid sandwich beams that were printed using the Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) technology. These beams were made of Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) materials. Standard mechanical tests (ASTM C393 and C365) were utilized in order to assess the impact that several infill patterns (Cubic, Octet, and Trihexagonal) and infill densities (ranging from 15% to 40%) had on the flexural and compression performance of the material. According to the findings, trihexagonal patterns demonstrated improved energy absorption capabilities when subjected to compression, but octet designs offered superior flexural stiffness, particularly in hybrid constructions. According to the findings of tests conducted with hybrid constructions consisting of a TPU core and a PLA surface layer, the effect of infill patterns on component strength is directly influenced by the change in the material character, and it is possible that various materials would exhibit different manifestations of this effect. These findings offer useful information that may be used to optimize lattice geometry and hybridization procedures for the purpose of developing high-performance lightweight structures for engineering applications.