A review of design and fabrication strategies for thermoplastic lightweight thin-walled stiffened shells and lattice structures utilizing fused-filament fabrication (FFF)

The increasing demand for lightweight and mechanically robust structures has significantly propelled interest in Additive Manufacturing (AM), particularly Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). This necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the entire design-to-fabrication workflow. While individual aspects of FFF processes for such structures have been extensively studied, a consolidated review integrating design strategies, optimization techniques, and manufacturing challenges remains limited. This research addresses this gap by systematically reviewing contemporary strategies for the design and fabrication of lightweight structures utilizing FFF. The scope includes an investigation into advanced design and optimization methodologies, specifically Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) principles and Topology Optimization (TO) techniques tailored for thin-walled and lattice geometries. Furthermore, the inherent

limitations of conventional CAD tools are critically examined, alongside a summary of prevalent manufacturing challenges in FFF. By synthesizing multidisciplinary insights, this work aims to foster an integrated understanding crucial for developing structurally efficient and reliable FFF components. It also delineates prospective research trajectories, encompassing artificial intelligence-driven process control and the application of digital twins for predictive modeling, thereby offering a foundational resource for researchers and practitioners in advancing FFF capabilities.

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