Qualification of additive manufactured trabecular structures using a multi-instrumental approach

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a production process able to create complex structures with trabecular morphology that are of great potential interest in various application areas, such as aerospace and biomedical. In addition to a significant mass reduction, structures with trabecular topology (micro-scale) can be optimized and functionalized depending on the specific properties that the final product (macro-scale) needs to exhibit. The actual structural response of this new class of materials is, however, little known. This paper presents some first results obtained within the framework of a research project of national interest (PRIN) started in 2017, which involves some leading Universities in Italy. The project aims to investigate additive manufactured trabecular structures by developing proper testing protocols based on different non-contact measurement techniques, using a multi-instrumental and multi-competence approach.