Lattice generator for 3D printing: gyroid infill and topology optimization
Upload an STL, OBJ or STEP and get it back as a lattice: the whole model becomes a gyroid or another lattice at a density from 5 to 60%. The optimization mode moves material along the load paths.
Part of Pro, 15 EUR a month.
- 6 lattice typesGyroid, Schwarz-P, Schwarz-D, Neovius, IWP and struts
- 5 materialsfor the strength calculation: PLA, ABS, aluminium, steel and titanium
- STL, 3MF and a sectionthe 3MF carries the stress colours with “Stress” or optimization
- A 2 to 20 mm cellthe wall stays at 0.8 mm or more: the cell grows
What a lattice generator does with your model
A lattice generator for 3D printing builds a structure of repeating cells that replaces the solid volume of a part, to save material and weight. This EduFacturing tool, part of Pro, does it on the model itself, not as a slicer setting, and gives the lattice as a file.
The lattices are mathematical surfaces, for example the gyroid. Topology optimization is something else: you set supports and a load, and the solver keeps material only where the force runs, down to a set volume.
What the tool does with the model
Builds a lattice in the model
Gyroid, Schwarz-P, Schwarz-D, Neovius, IWP or struts; a sheet (thin wall) or a network (dense); a cell from 2 to 20 mm and a density from 5 to 60%. Density is the same share of the volume for every type.
Follows the forces
The density is uniform, falls toward the top or follows the stress: along the load paths it is about 2 times denser, and in the unloaded zones about 0.55 times the set value.
Optimizes the topology
You pick compression along X, Y or Z or a cantilever, or place supports, loads and keep zones by clicking the model. The solver keeps 5 to 60% of the volume and shows stiffness, displacement, stress, fatigue and buckling.
Gives files
An STL, a 3MF with stress colours for “Stress” density or optimization, and a section STL with a solid cap to see or print the inside.
When you need a lattice instead of a solid body
You put in a lattice where weight and material cost more than a solid body.
Lightened part
A drone part, a bracket or a housing that should not be as heavy as a solid model.
Volume comparison
A solid body and a lattice side by side, in cm³ and as a percentage of material saved.
How density becomes a wall and a cell
The lattice is a function of position, and the density says how much of the cell is solid.
Base
The model becomes a solid body by its outer shape: cavities closed inside are filled, and open ones stay as air.
Lattice
The five surface types (gyroid, Schwarz-P, Schwarz-D, Neovius, IWP) are a surface f(x, y, z) = 0 with a period equal to the cell; the struts are cylinders along the cell diagonals. The sheet is a band around the surface, the network is the volume on one side of it.
Density and wall
The band is chosen to fill exactly the share you set. If the wall comes out under 0.8 mm or under twice the step of the processing grid, the cell grows.
Cutting and optimization
The lattice is cut to the shape of the model, with no solid skin: the slicer adds perimeters. The optimization is a finite element solver that moves material to the load paths.
| Applies to | Formula | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Gyroid | sin x · cos y + sin y · cos z + sin z · cos x = 0 | x = 2π · X / C, where X is the position in mm and C is the cell |
| Wall | w ≈ ι · C / π | ι is the band limit |f| < ι for the chosen density, C is the cell; below 0.8 mm the app enlarges the cell |
| Saved material | S = (Vs − Vl) / Vs | Vs is the volume of the solid body, Vl is the volume of the lattice |
A lattice you can see and check
A lattice as geometry
The result is a real model with a lattice that you cut open on screen and download, not a slicer setting.
It refuses honestly
When the structure does not carry the load, the app says so instead of showing a pretty result. It also warns about buckling before the nominal load.
It is not a certification analysis: the solver is voxel-based, and stress, safety factor and fatigue are approximate guides.
The screen has no control for a solid shell or drain holes. A hollow part is treated as solid by its outer shape, so the saved material is relative to that body. The “time saved” is a demonstration number: 2 minutes for every cm³ saved, with no link to printer speed or layer height. A warning for a wall under 0.8 mm appears only for “Network (dense)”; for “Sheet” and struts the wall is raised to 0.8 mm.
The optimization needs a solid part and often refuses a prism under uniform compression. STEP is experimental and works well only for flat faces. On a large model the cell is not kept: above 12,000 cells the app enlarges it and tells you the new size. The highest optimization quality, “Ultra”, takes about 5 to 8 minutes (by the label on screen). The English screen is partly translated: the top menu, the title and some messages stay in Bulgarian.
Questions about lattice infill and lightweight 3D printing
How to add a lattice to an STL?
Upload the STL, pick a lattice type, a cell and a density, press Generate and download an STL or 3MF.
What is gyroid infill?
The gyroid is a surface that repeats in all directions with no straight edges. As infill it gives a thin wall in every direction; here it is geometry in the model itself.
How to reduce weight of a 3D print?
Lower the lattice density or run topology optimization with a target volume. The app shows both volumes and the saved material in percent.
Which density should I pick for 3D printing?
The start is 15%, the slider runs from 5 to 60%, and for the optimization the start is 35%. The wall does not go below 0.8 mm: if the density asks for a thinner one, the app enlarges the cell.
Is the lattice generator screen in English?
Partly. The labels and buttons switch to English, but the top menu, the title and some messages stay in Bulgarian.
How much does the lattice generator cost?
It is part of Pro at 15 EUR a month, together with the other Pro tools.
The lattice generator is part of Pro
Pro costs 15 EUR a month and opens all 45 Pro tools.
In the Design group:
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