The invention consists in the design of an innovative reticular pole by using the 3D-printing technique Wire-and-Arc Additive Manufacturing characterized by a lattice structure consisting of continuous rectilinear elements.
| Patent title | Palo reticolare |
|---|---|
| Thematic area | Industry, Digital and Security |
| Ownership | ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA' DI BOLOGNA |
| Inventors | Vittoria Laghi, Giada Gasparini, Tomaso Trombetti, Michele Palermo |
| Protection | Italy |
| Licensing status | Available for development agreements, option, license and other exploitation agreements |
| Keywords | 3D printing, Truss structure, Pole, Wire-and-Arc Additive Manufacturing |
| Filed on | 23 December 2021 |
The use of “Innocenti” tube for base element for structures, support pole for signage or lighting, etc. is well known in building, construction and street furniture applications.
These metal structures are generally extruded with hollow section and constant thickness. This method commonly involves an excess of used material. Furthermore, the structures are connected to each other (e.g. structural nodes) by means of bolting or welding, using additional materials and components. These connection points are typically a critical part of the structure and thus require additional effort in the construction phase.
The invention consists in the design of an innovative reticular pole realized with 3D printing technique. The pole has an “atomized” tubular cross-section, forming an external diagrid lattice surface composed by continuous straight elements. The continuity of these elements is guaranteed by the Wire-and-Arc Additive Manufacturing technique, adopted to overcome the connection issue among multiple straight elements. The invention can be extended to multiple forms (e.g. constant or variable external cross-section along the height of the pole) and applications, based on the different final uses.
The reticular pole guarantees comparable strength performances with respect to the traditional poles, with highly reduced material use (up to 90%). This latter aspect also provides reduced environmental impact of the construction sector.
Applications:
• Structural engineering
• Architecture
Advantages:
• Reduction of used material and overall weight
• No need of welding and bolting connections
• Flexibility in its fabrication and use