TY - JOUR
T1 - Improving the Strength-to-Weight Ratio of 3-D Printed Antennas
T2 - Metal Versus Polymer
AU - Shamvedi, Deepak
AU - McCarthy, Oliver J.
AU - Odonoghue, Eoghan
AU - Oleary, Paul
AU - Raghavendra, Ramesh
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2002-2011 IEEE.
PY - 2018/11
Y1 - 2018/11
N2 - The research presented here compares the weight and structural strength of several lightweight three-dimensional (3-D) metal printed fractal antennas to the equivalent metal-coated polymer 3-D printed antenna. Lattice structures are recognized for their advantages in providing lightweight, stiff, and shock-resistant structures. In this work, they are used to create a strong, lightweight metal antenna, which is even comparatively lighter than the metal-coated 3-D printed polymer antenna, and with higher structural strength. A radio frequency (RF) performance, similar to the Computer Simulation Technology (CST) simulation results, was confirmed for each antenna. Mechanical testing has also been conducted, to compare the strength-to-weight ratio of lightweight metal printed structures to that of the polymer one.
AB - The research presented here compares the weight and structural strength of several lightweight three-dimensional (3-D) metal printed fractal antennas to the equivalent metal-coated polymer 3-D printed antenna. Lattice structures are recognized for their advantages in providing lightweight, stiff, and shock-resistant structures. In this work, they are used to create a strong, lightweight metal antenna, which is even comparatively lighter than the metal-coated 3-D printed polymer antenna, and with higher structural strength. A radio frequency (RF) performance, similar to the Computer Simulation Technology (CST) simulation results, was confirmed for each antenna. Mechanical testing has also been conducted, to compare the strength-to-weight ratio of lightweight metal printed structures to that of the polymer one.
KW - Additive manufacturing (AM)
KW - lattice structure
KW - lightweight antenna
KW - three-dimensional (3-D) printing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053336511&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/LAWP.2018.2870944
DO - 10.1109/LAWP.2018.2870944
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85053336511
SN - 1536-1225
VL - 17
SP - 2065
EP - 2069
JO - IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
JF - IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters
IS - 11
M1 - 8466886
ER -